Prime Minister James Marape was at Ihu Station in Kikori District of Gulf Province to launch several impact projects including the Ihu Special Economic (ISEZ).
The Prime Minister was accompanied by Kikori MP and Minister for Foreign Affairs and Trade Soroi Eoe; Minister for Works Michael Nali and Department Secretary David Wereh; Transport Minister William Samb; Central Governor Robert Agarobe; Gulf Governor Chris Haiveta and officials of the ISEZ.
Thousands came to welcome the delegation at Ihu Airstrip, which has been cleared and opened for use, with plans for rehabilitation.
PM Marape visited Ihu and gave the National Governments support to the Ihu SEZ.
The Ihu SEZ is the first Special Economic Zone to progress towards Phase 2.
Phase 2 involves key foundational programs that will set the pace for other important development activities to be progressed.
The two programs are Land mobilisation program and Environmental Impact Statement studies.
Apart from that ISEZ project, the development office also considered 3 other programs important for rolling out.
1. Site improvement; access roads, telecommunication, power, administrative centre, jetty and airstrip facilities.
2. SME businesses baseline data gathering training to enable migration of informal sector entrepreneurs to formal sector.
3. Mini Industries development to assist impacted and affected landowner SMEs to increase cash flow activities and expand businesses growth.
“Organise yourself into mama group, papa group, and pick up that space in SME. If you work on the education space, and SME space, ten years’ time you could be in productive place. We will set up a space for industry and a little bit of government presence in Ihu, and of course Kerema which has always had our government presence, and ensure our three-hundred thousand plus people have a place and are progressive,” the Prime Minister said.
The ISEZ project was fully funded by Kikori DDA from 2018 to 2020 under the Chairmanship of Minister Eoe.
The NEC approved the project in 2020 under NEC Decision No. 269/2020 and approved K100 million.