WNB Governor Sasindran Muthuvel is in close consultation with the National Government with the plight to secure the K70 million Oil Palm road project.
This is an OPIC proposed project to upgrade the 1250km oil Palm roads, out of which 750 km is in Kimbe, while the other 500km is in Oro and Milne Bay Province.
“It will be beneficial to the National Government, to fix these roads that will in turn provide increased tax revenue from NBPOL as a result of shorter pick up intervals, that will boost remarkable increased production,” he said.
He added that proper road conditions will also encourage small holder growers to collectively bring their own fruits to the mills, which is an added bonus to production time and rate.
“In that light, it is a vital project that needs to be considered by the National Government for the 2018 budget, which gives all the more reason for the province to plead to keep the Oil Palm Tax Credit Scheme that plays a vital role in maintaining Oil Palm feeder roads for small holders.”
In fact, he said the whole road system throughout the country is in a terrible state after decades of neglect and not only in West New Britain.
Muthuvel reiterated that this is a nationwide nightmare faced in all 22 Provinces, including the most prominent links, with almost half of all national roads and over two thirds of all Provincial in dire need for rehabilitation.