Minister for Works and Transport Francis Awesa said on Thursday that he will not apologize for the delay of road works onthe country’s industrial city, Lae.
Mr. Awesa saidthe 100 million kina for phase 2 has undergone screening to avoid misappropriation of state funds and incomplete roads as experienced in phase 1.
He announced that so farthe state has spent close to 300 million kina on Lae roads alone; however,the roads inthe city do not reflectthe value of money allocated bythe state to date.
The minister said thatthe 100 million kina had been parked in a trust account and managed bythe Chief Secretary andthe Works Department Secretary. He said it had to be managed independently so thatthere would be value for money atthe end of phase 2.
Mr. Awesa said fromthe 100 million kina, over 80 million kina is left now for phase 2. Twelve million was paid tothe contractors fromthe phase 1 so thatthey could stop work and allow for the new contractors to carry on with phase 2 withthe remaining funds.
His vice minister called on Morobe Governor Kelly Naru andthe Morobe provincial works department to work closely withthe works department to executethe work onthe Lae roads diligently.
The minister also announced today that starting next year,the national government and it’s ministry will be allocated 100 million kina every year to cement all of Lae’s roads.
Apart fromthe investors, business houses, residents andthe people of Morobe province, Mr. Awesa said this will greatly benefit boththe MOMASE and HIGHLANDS regions as a whole inthe long run.
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