Works Minister Francis Awesa

However, Works Minister Francis Awesa gave the assurance that work will start soon as the Department of Works and the contractor have finally agreed on the design component of construction road from Kangu to Kokopau. 

He reiterated that the 64km road work was a design and build contract where K80 million had already been paid for mobilisation works.

Awesa was responding to questions from South Bougainville MP, Timothy Masiu, in Parliament on Friday.    

Ijivitari MP, David Arore during Question Time asked Works Minister Francis Awesa if the National Government has plans to fund the national roads in Oro.

Arore said the Northern and Kokoda Highways which starts from Oro Bay and ends at Afore needed road maintenances.  

He added that the country’s 2050 Vision states that Central and Northern Provinces must be connected by road because it is part of the missing 16 economic corridors. 

Arore also asked why no government funding had been allocated for Northern Highway in the National Budget since 2014. 

Minister for Works and Implementation Francis Awesa told Parliament today this is the long term strategy that will be used to improve the road conditions of all national highways.

Awesa said he will release a ministerial statement in this week’s Parliament sitting on how the PPP agreement will work.       

Meanwhile, Prime Minister Peter O’Neill advised Parliament on Tuesday that Cabinet had approved an increase in infrastructure tax credit scheme from 1.75 to 2 per cent to support the PPP agreement.

Basil questioned Works Minister Francis Awesa of the delay in maintenance of the bridge which is affecting travelling public and also businesses in his Bulolo District and neighbouring Menyamya District.    

The road link is used by Hidden Valley Mine, Zenag Chicken, Bulolo Forest Products and also soon to open Wafi-Golpu Mine to Morobe Province capital, Lae.

He added that Nagalimu connecting Wau – Bulolo is yet to be upgraded 6 months on and the Warabung Bridge between Wampit and Timini Villages is still not fixed after been washed away last week.  

Works Minister Francis Awesa and Opposition Leader Don Polye, and his Deputy, Sam Basil, exchanged accusations after Lae MP Loujaya Kouza queried the criteria used to award K89 million to the Alotau-East Cape road.

She believes the outstanding roads in Morobe Province, namely the Bulolo-Menyamya and the Bumayong-Unitech and Milford Haven roads, should have been considered instead.

Awesa said the criteria of awarding road funding lies with the World Bank as they are providing the loan.

Works Minister Francis Awesa and other government officials will be coming on behalf of Prime Minister Peter O’Neill.

It is believed that O'Neill have to stay back to hand down the supplementary budget in today's parliament session.

Awesa will be officially opening Ningerum Ok Tedi river bridge, Drimgas Fly River bridge construction and ground breaking of Kiunga District Hospital Redevelopment.

These projects were some of the impact projects planned during the government formation in Alotau back in 2012.

This was the message from the Minister for Works and Implementation Francis Awesa during the launch of the DOW Corporate plan today at the DOW headquarters in Port Moresby. 

Minister Awesa challenged the Secretary of Works David Wereh and the officers to be consistent and transparent if they are to achieve their key targets for the new five-year plan.

“I will not tolerate any officers in our ministry who is corrupt and dishonest and is misusing the department for their benefit,” Minister Awesa said.

Awesa said this to LOOP PNG after the Sydney Morning Herald  newspaper  published an article about a contract awarded to Hornibrooks NGI Ltd worth more than K15 million ($7.8million) to build houses associated with the program.

Awesa is a co-director and shareholder of Hornibrooks.

He says Hornibrooks was given the contract through the Australian government’s procurement process and the PNG government had no control over that.

“My name has been tarnished after the article by the Sydney Morning Herald for something I had no part in,” he added.