President Jokowi Inaugurates Nop Goliat Dekai Airport in Papua

Press, Media, and Information Bureau/Rusman

President Joko ‘Jokowi’ Widodo inaugurated Nop Goliat Dekai Airport in Yahukimo Regency, Papua Province, on Tuesday (18/10). The Airport was built to be the center of logistics distribution of the region of Papua Mountains as well as to support goods and people mobilities.

In his remarks, President Joko Widodo explained that now the Airport has 1,950 meters runway and it is able to accommodate ATR 72 aircraft. The President wanted the Airport to be continuously developed and asked the Minister of Transportation Budi Karya Sumadi to extend the runway to 2,500 meters.

“Later, a Boeing will be able to land here. I give two years to make it happen,” the President firmly said.

The President wanted Papua, as the easternmost region of Indonesia that considers left behind compared to other regions, to be able to compete in this competition era. Therefore, the President treats Papua equal to other regions. The program of infrastructure development that currently is carried out in all over Indonesia is also conducted in Papua.

“If infastructures in all regions are the same, they can compete in any sector,” the President said.

For the record, Nop Goliat Dekai Airport is one of seven pioneer airports that can connect 517 villages in Yahukimo Regency.

On every occasion, the issue of connectivity is often mentioned by the President. This Airport is one of manifestations of President Joko Widodo and Vice President Jusuf Kalla’s commitments in Nawa Cita (nine priority programs of Jokowi-JK Administration) agenda, i.e. to strengthen the outermost regions.

“It is the benefit of connectivity. It is not a show of magnificent infrastructures. Hopefully, this Airport would bring benefits to the people in Yahukimo. I ask all to maintain this Airport well,” the President further said.

On that working visit, the President and First Lady Ibu Iriana Joko Widodo was accompanied by Minister of State-Owned Enterprises Rini Soemarno, Minister of Transportation Budi Karya Sumadi, Presidential Chief of Staff Teten Masduki, Managing Director of Pertamina Dwi Soetjipto, and Governor of Papua Lukas Enembe. (BPMI Setpres/SLN)(MMB/YM/Naster)