The Tari-Nipa section of the Highlands Highway will be sealed at a cost of K29 million by local contractor company, Ipwenz Limited.
The signing of the contract took place in Port Moresby today between Works and Implementation Secretary David Wereh and Managing Director of Ipwenz Ltd, Moses Palipe.
At a total cost of K29,372,191.50, the road project is funded under the ExxonMobil Tax Credit Scheme, which is from Tari to Ambua, a total of 20 kilometers of road.
This is the third of such projects funded under ExxonMobil’s TCS, out from a total of K150 million for various sections of the highlands highway.
Secretary Wereh said out of the entire 1,000km of the highlands highway undergoing resealing, part of it is under ExxonMobil.
“We’d like to thank Exxon for supporting the government on long term programs that we have,” he said.
He also said the road contract will bring critical infrastructure and also significantly improve accessibility to the people of Hela Province.
ExxonMobil Managing Director Andrew Barry said they are pleased to partner with the Department of Works to improve road infrastructure in Hela Province.
“The public-private partnership with the Department of Works is focused on upgrading the Highlands Highway from Halimbu junction to Komo under a three-year K150 million infrastructure tax credit arrangement,” Barry added.
(Managing Director of Ipwenz Ltd Moses Palipe and Works and Implementation Secretary David Wereh at signing today)