There is still need for the government to improve connectivity through the Connect PNG Program to reach the most rural parts of PNG.
According to Prime Minister James Marape, the government’s vision is to achieve 100 percent Road connectivity across PNG by 2040.
To better understanding the challenges and know the progress of the works, a seminar was organized yesterday which different stakeholders participated at the APEC Haus in Port Moresby.
During the closing, Chief Secretary Ivan Pomaleu said, “the Workshop has provided us a platform to listen to key stakeholders in Government, Private Sector including our Development Partners on the challenges they face in implementing the Connect PNG Policy and Program. The Policy is a guiding framework with a focus on improving connectivity across rural PNG.”
Mr Pomaleu said under the Policy framework, the Marape-Rosso Government allocated funding boost of K300 million in the national budget this year. The additional funding will maintain good progress for the ongoing work under the Connect PNG Program.
“As far as the Program is concerned, Phase one is from 2020-2027 estimated at K7.98 billion. When the Marape Government came into power in 2019, the Department of Works & Highways were implementing over 230 contracts around the country. The estimated total value of these ongoing works inherited from the previous administration was K3.4 billion,” Pomaleu said.
With the funding boost and work in progress, thousands of rural people in poorest parts of PNG now have roads near their homes. This has considerably improved their access to schools, health centers, hospitals, markets, urban centers and jobs like never before.
However, Chief Secretary Pomaleu pointed out the challenges that are faced and has called for a better approach to service delivery, and warrants for a review of systems and perhaps the introduction of new systems and processes that will ensure continuity and the sustainability of roads investments and financing.
“These include avenues of looking into a five-year performance-based road maintenance contract awarded through an efficient National Procurement Process, and financial delegation of powers and responsibilities to the Provincial and District Level Governments where local contractors have easy access to funding so that they can immediately progress road and other infrastructure projects.”
“This will eventually lead to improved asset management practices, and monitoring at various stages of construction and maintenance.”
Chief Secretary Pomaleu has called on all, including key development stakeholders to understand the new systems and processes that are introduced by the GoPNG, in particular the Policy components of procuring the contracts and funding of projects to improve connectivity across rural Papua New Guinea.
