Nimba County – A new airstrip has been dedicated and turned over to the Board of Directors and Management of the Liberia Airport Authority. The airstrip, which is nine hundred kilometers, was constructed by Samaritan’s Purse and Mission Aviation Fellowship.
Speaking during the official turning over ceremony which was held on the airstrip, the Country Director of Samaritan Purse Liberia, Mr. Kendell Kauffeldt, said the facility was built to buttress the efforts of the Jackson F. Doe Referral Hospital by easing the many problems associated with transporting patients and medical equipment.
Mr. Kauffeldt commended the Liberia Airport Authority for always giving the organization the opportunity to contribute to the development of the aviation sector of Liberia and the Mission Aviation Fellowship for been likeminded in providing technical and leadership skills for the successful execution of the project.
Receiving the airstrip on behalf of the Government of Liberia, the Chairman of the Board of Directors of the Liberia Airport Authority, Hon. Gbehzongar Milton Findley, applauded the Samaritan Purse and Mission Aviation Fellowship for jointly working together for the successful implementation of the project.
Chairman Findley challenged the authority and citizens of Nimba County to take ownership of the airstrip and work closely with the management team that will be constituted to properly maintain the facility. He used the occasion to caution the citizens to keep away from the airstrip because there are dangers associated with interfering with the airport operations.
Also speaking at the program, the Managing Director of the Liberia Airport Authority, Hon. Wil Bako Freeman, pointed out that the construction of the airstrip will greatly ease the many transportation difficulties associated with transporting patients, hospital staff, medical equipment and medicine to the hospital.
Freeman highly praised the County Administration headed by Superintendent Fong Zuagele for providing the county earth moving equipment which was used for the construction of the airstrip.
He also thanked the Airport Manager of the James Spriggs Payne Airport, Mr. Emmanuel T. Taplah for liaising with all parties to ensure the work was carried out as scheduled and Samaritan Purse and Mission Aviation Fellowship for collaborating to implement the project in an effective and efficient manner