The New Ireland Provincial Manager for the National Department of Works has assured the people of New Hanover that the K10 million Lavongai to Mamirum “Unity Road” will be complete in 12 months’ time.
Solomon Pela made the declaration in Ungat Village in the Lavongai LLG during a ground breaking ceremony for the 50-kilometre road.
The event was attended by New Ireland Governor Sir Julius Chan, Provincial Executive members, Contractor PNGSJC and special guest Central Province Governor Robert Agarobe.
“Lavongai electorate you are fortunate to receive this project. A lot of the road construction in the New Ireland Province are under the National Government funding but we are facing some financial difficulties and there is no money, so the national government is not putting a lot of money into high impact projects that are supposed to be funded by the national government,” Pela said.
“But your Governor has put the money where the National Government is supposed to put it. K10 million is a lot of money for this trans-national road.”
He urged the locals not to dwell on petty little social issues that may hinder the construction of the road. Instead he called on them to allow the delivery of services to go ahead, encouraging them to support the contractors and his team on the ground.
“I cannot do it on my own I need your support, I need you to be responsible,” said Pela.
Governor Sir Julius, supporting the remarks by Pela, said he would go back in a year’s time to officially open the Unity Road.
He said people of New Hanover have struggled to be united, therefore the purpose of the road is to unite all of New Hanover connecting North to South, North to West and South to West.
“In my definition, this is the Unity Road. Where you’ve not gone before, you will go. Where you’ve not climbed before, you will climb. Where you’ve not set foot before, you will trek. Whom you’ve not seen before, you will see,” declared Sir J.
The construction of the 50km road is set to open up the economic corridor of the Island bringing more revenue for the locals who have gone into rubber, cocoa, coconut plantings and fisheries on a major scale.
The anticipated revenue of the next 10 years after the completion of the road project is anticipated to be over one thousand million kina over the next 10 years.