Lae MP and Deputy Prime Minister, John Rosso, was impressed with the state-of-the-art Nadzab Tomodachi International Airport facilities.
The Deputy Prime Minister and Minister for Transport and Civil Aviation, Walter Schnaubelt, were at Nadzab yesterday, to receive the president of the Japan International Cooperation Agency, Professor Tanaka Akihiko.
Professor Akihiko came to Lae to visit the Nadzab Airport Redevelopment Project, and unveil the renamed Nadzab Tomodachi International Airport.
The K750 million upgrade was made possible through a Japanese Overseas Development concessional loan and a PNG Government budgetary allocation.
Speaking in the new passenger terminal building, Rosso applauded the impressive architecture and skilled workmanship of the contractor, Dai Nippon-Nippo Joint Venture.
“It also speaks of the Japanese technology and workmanship that you can see, clearly defined, within the construction of this,” he said.
“This event is a step closer to the opening of this very important infrastructure for our city of Lae, for Morobe Province and for the country as a whole.
“Japan and Papua New Guinea established diplomatic relationships in 1975, September 16th – when we attained independence also. It’s one of the first countries that established ties with us when we got independence.”
Rosso thanked the government and people of Japan for their continuous support to PNG for over 4 decades, including their friendship.
He also outlined that Professor Akihiko’s visit to Lae was not only to see the Nadzab facilities, but also to look at the province’s grid for power supply and the Markham Bridge redevelopment.
After the Nadzab event, the JICA president, the Minister for Transport and Civil Aviation, Walter Schnaubelt, PNG Power chief executive officer, Obed Batia, and the Department of Transport Secretary, Roy Mumu, went to the Erap Substation.
There, they were briefed on the ‘Ramu Transmission System Reinforcement Project’.
The K263 million reinforcement project, jointly funded by JICA and the PNG government, supports the construction of an additional transmission line to meet the criteria for reliable power supply. Construction started in May 2019 and is anticipated to conclude this year.
After the Erap Substation, the convoy went to the Markham Bridge to see how the one-lane infrastructure can be upgraded.
The longest bridge in PNG, the Markham Bridge, was built in 1955 and has been upgraded throughout the years; the most recent one was in 2011 by the people of Japan.
Professor Akihiko and his delegation stopped for a brief assessment of the area before heading to Nadzab for their flight back to Port Moresby.