Connect PNG

The Government policy drive is to ensure that these Economic Development Corridors are not only developed but importantly, connected to enhanced participation and growth that will enable the timely realization of PNG becoming a middle-level income nation by 2050.

The program aims to enhance support for sustainable socio-economic development and national cohesion and unity, by connecting PNG's four main regions over the next 20 years.

Two missing links that were on the Government’s focus is the Finschhafen to Lae in Morobe and Tabubil to Telefomin in West Sepik Province.

This is evident with the Tabubil-Telefomin and Oksapmin-Kopiago missing link road finally reaching the first village of Telefomin District.

On Wednesday November 1, 2023, the contractor IPZ Limited machines arrived at Urapmin Village.

Telefomin District in the West Sepik Province was not linked to any major road network since independence.

Minister tor Works and Highways and Telefomin MP Solan Mirisim is impressed with the progress of the road works.

This is a concept adopted by the Baratu Operator Skills Training and is derived from the ‘Connect PNG’ Program.

According to the 2010 Census, Central Province had a total population of 237,016. This could have doubled or tripled over the last decade.

Executive Director of BOST, Tony Ombora, Baratu emphasized that ‘Connect central first’ is the building through training and utilizing themto give back through to the province.

He said a number of road projects under the CONNECT PNG program is being carried out in the province, but progress has been threatened by political infighting and constant harassment by people with political affiliations. 

“The CONNECT PNG program is a well-planned infrastructure development program that is a game changer. It will open up the country, and drive growth in our non-resources sector of the economy as we move away from dependence on the resource sector. 

DAL also plans to accelerate this service with the inclusion of Digicel and other mobile networks.

DAL launched the ‘Government Agriculture Price & Market Information Services (GAPMIS)' yesterday. The mobile-enabled service is to access vital and value-added services to the masses in the country.

Secretary for DAL, Dr Nelson Simbiken, shared that realizes the importance of this challenge and has developed GAPMIS to factor these challenges for inclusive agro and economic participation.

Minister Tom thanked the government for making the Connect PNG programme, one of its flagship programmes.

Dr Tom said, “To provide a fair platform on which services can be distributed equitably, I think road access provides that fair platform. It’s quite difficult for us to give services to people who are landlocked, to give services to people who are living out in the out-lying islands; it’s quite difficult without proper form of communication, proper access.”

Marape said, “This policy is the critical economic enabler that will accelerate economic activity and connect our country through improved roads, airports, airstrips, wharves and ports, ICT and energy to build an inclusive country and stimulate growth and further opportunities.”

He further stated, “We must quarantine resources to fund these investments. We must fully implement projects in energy, road infrastructure and ICT to make this initiative sustainable. It is about unlocking our country so that it realizes its full potential.”

Works Minister, Michael Nali said this would provide a strategic pathway of implementing the National Economic Corridor Development Plan that will connect services and economic opportunities to over six million people by 2050.

He said the Policy Agenda comprises rehabilitation and reconstruction of the debilitated sections of the existing road networks due to chronic maintenance negligence by previous governments and then construct the Missing Link Road Sections.

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 was revealed by Dr Kobby Bomareo, Vice-Minister for National Planning at the Annual Planning Conference in Port Moresby last week.

“Since Independence, we have progressed significantly in number of key development indicators. Our human development index has improved from 0.3 to 0.52 in 2015. This is still not as impressive and far from our closest neighbors such as Fiji which is 0.74 is and rank 91 out of 188.