The maintenance of the Lae-Bulolo road in Morobe Province is being integrated into the Connect PNG infrastructure development programme to address it in a more holistic manner; beyond just maintenance, says Prime Minister James Marape.
He was responding to Menyamya MP Benjamin Phillip who wanted some clarification during Question Time yesterday. The question follows after a maintenance programme was announced for this road two months ago under an Australian government grant.
Marape said he acknowledged the deteriorated state of the road from his recent trip to Mumeng for the Wafi-Golpu pre-development forum, and having travelled the road himself when he was returning to Lae.
“This is a very important economic road because of Zenag Chicken Farm, PNG Forest, Hidden Valley, alluvial gold activities, and coffee not just into Wau and Garaina, but up to Menyamya where there is a lot of coffee,” said the Prime Minister.
“The funding through the programme with the Australian government grant is only as maintenance and not permanent intervention. I am looking at how we can bridge that programme with the National Government’s permanent intervention to restore it.
“So we had to hold it back.
“It is K66 million for a 3-year program. I felt we can convert it and overlay it with government programme to get the most out of it instead of just patching potholes, drainage and maintenance but make it into a proper road,” said the Prime Minister.
Marape said he has already directed the Works Department to scope the road for costs for the particular section that needs urgent attention.
He added that a K40 million funding had already been identified last year for the said section of the road as part of the bigger Connect PNG infrastructure programme which will eventually connect Menyamya in Morobe Province, to Kaintiba and Kerema in Gulf Province; a project that will take between 5 to 10 years of consistent government funding to complete.