The chief secretary of Bougainville, Joseph Nobetau, is appealing to landowners on the Papua New Guinea island to allow fencing to be built around Buka airport.
Buka Airport Photo: facebook
The National Airways Corporation is shutting down services indefinitely from Friday because of continued vandalism, theft of equipment, incursions on to the runway and an unwillingness of landowners to allow fencing of the perimeter.
Mr Nobetau, in a message on twitter, has appealed to the landowners to allow this important work to go ahead.
He said the closure of the Buka airport will have a significant impact on everyone in North Bougainville, stopping them from getting life saving air cargo and other essential services.
Meanwhile, the Post Courier newspaper reports Mr Nobetau pleading with the National Airways Corporation to be given more time to address the issues.
My statement on the closure of Buka Airport - I appeal to landowners to do all they can to resolve this matter #Bougainville pic.twitter.com/iK9r5DGEb5
— Joseph Nobetau (@JosephNobetau) December 19, 2018
