Kokopo undergoing K70m sewage system upgrade

Kokopo’s K8 million City Hall should be half finished by the end of the year, with its K70 million sewage project completed next year.

Governor for East New Britain, Ereman ToBaining, says the Kokopo City Hall was intended to be an office complex funded under the Joint District and Priorities Board (JDPB), then later the District Development Authority (DDA) in 2013.

Governor ToBaining, also Member for Kokopo District, says however, since Kokopo’s status was declared as a city, a recent City Commission Authority Board endorsed the decision to change this building project into a City Hall.

“So as you are driving along the heart of Kokopo town, that building now is under construction and they are starting off with the foundation and I believe that before the end of the year, it should be 50 percent completed,” ToBaining says.

Regarding queries over the current sewerage system project in the province, he says he is thankful to the Government for the K70 million funding given to contractor Chian Jiangzu, who have already commenced work.

In recent weeks, sewage pipes from as far as the Kokopo Secondary School areas, along the roadside of Ralum and now inside the heart of Kokopo town, are being worked on.

These two major impact projects are among 700 projects either implemented, soon to be implemented or being earmarked for implementation since 2013 under the provincial strategic plan 2011 to 2021 inside the Kokopo District.

“From 2013 to 2016, through the presentation of our leaders’ summit early this year, Kokopo district was again one of those districts, through the implementation of its DSIP, we have implemented 530 projects,” he reveals. 

However, Governor ToBaining acknowledges that without the support of the Provincial Administration, there would be no implementation of these infrastructure developments in Kokopo.

He also praised the Kokopo District Administration, through its CEO John Talele, his deputy and treasurer for implementing all the projects endorsed by the Kokopo City Commission.

He further states that this week, the City Commission Authority Board will be meeting to come up with a decision to continue with all these projects after 2017.

“We will continue to complete those incomplete and outstanding projects, so we get into 2017 with clean hands and start new projects in 2017,” he says.

Current construction works on the K70m sewage system in Kokopo town, East New Britain.

Author: 
Joshua Arlo