Two National Highways in Oro Province covering a total of 151 kilometres are currently undergoing major repairs, thanks to the Australian Government’s Transport Sector Support Program (TSSP).
Oro Governor Gary Juffa has thanked the Government of Australia and TSSP for making the funds available to open up the two highways for his people to have road access.
“These two highways reach out to Ijivitari and Sohe districts where majority of the people live and they were both in a very bad state recently and for TSSP to recognize our roads with the funding is highly commendable,” Governor Juffa said.
A total of K3.5 million has been allocated by TSSP on these national roads split among 10 local contractors, five on each of the Kokoda and Afore (Northern) sections.
TSSP has been funding national highways in other parts of the country through AusAID but nothing in Oro until 2017, when they extended their gratitude to the people of Oro, which Juffa described as a welcome news for his province.
He said Oro is a disaster-prone province and to keep the roads and bridges functioning, maintenance and river training on bridges along the highways has been a major concern.
“I am pleased to see that contractors have been engaged to work on river training as well as clearing and grading. I also thank the Department of Works in Oro and the provincial government technical support team for working closely with TSSP and the contractors,” Governor Juffa said.
Provincial Works Engineer, Robert Ambui has confirmed that five contractors have been engaged to work on the 76-kilometre Kokoda highway from Popondetta town all the way to Mamba estates. Another five local contractors are working on the Afore Highway which starts at Oro Bay to Afore station covering 75 kilometres.
“The contractors were given three months to complete their sections of their scope before getting paid,” he said.
Work on the Afore highway includes drainage clearing, vegetation control, Sand bagging sea wall protection, team grading and spot graveling unsealed sections, clearing and grubbing, filling wallows and light re-sheeting.
The Kokoda section include vegetation control, drainage and culvert cleaning, team grading, spot graveling and river training works.
The improvements are expected to be complete within three months as contractors have started working on their designated sections.
Governor Juffa said the clearing work should pave the way for the major long-term sealing projects on both highways also funded by the Australian government through AusAID.
“These are economic infrastructure projects and I appeal to my people to prepare themselves to benefit from these major investments through agriculture, tourism and other income generating businesses,” he said.