Women and girls in Papua New Guinea have been urged to aim for the skies, breaking barriers in formerly male-dominated professions.

Prime Minister James Marape’s call comes in light of pioneer woman pilot Lieutenant-Colonel Nancy Wii who was promoted to Commanding Officer of the Papua New Guinea Defence Force Air Transport Wing.

PM Marape said today that Lt-Col Wii’s achievement is an inspiration to all PNG women to “aim for the skies.

” Lt-Col Wii is the  first female military officer to be promoted to Commanding Officer in the force’s rank-and-file, ” he said.

” She has broken all barriers in the PNGDF – which has been male dominated all along – when she got promoted to Commanding Officer of the Air Transport Wing.

“Her promotion is a landmark and a call for young women and girls to aim for the skies.

” Lt-Col Wii was the first-ever PNG woman to become an aircraft pilot, and is the first woman  to command a division in the PNGDF.”

PM Marape also commended the family of Lt-Col Wii, especially her father and  a former two-time MP for North Waghi, William Wii, for their support.

” I encourage all fathers in PNG  to take good care of their daughters and support them to realize their full potential,” he said.

He congratulated eight other male officers of PNGDF who were promoted along with Lt-Col Wii.