Current status of Konkua Road
By Vicky Baunke, Goroka EHP
Work on the K24m Konkua to Billimoiya Road funded by the K92 gold Mine through the Tax Credit Scheme project has been put on hold by the Kainantu District Development authority through the chairmanship of MP William Hagahuno.
A stop work notice was issued by the Kainantu DDA following a meeting by its members stating the reasons of a ‘stop work’ on the million kina project that would benefit impact villages of the mining area.
The project was launched 2 months ago at the Konkua Village and witnessed by the people, Eastern Highlands Governor Simon Sia, K92 Mine Limited Vice President Philip Sama, Eastern Highlands Provincial Police Commander Superintendent Michael Welly, stakeholders and contractor representatives, on May 17th Friday this year with work expected to begin this month July according to the mine.
However, according to an official notice that is currently being circulated on Monday dated (29.07.24) by the KDDA putting a stop to work on the K24m Konkua Road sealing Project due to breach of guidelines followed by the mine to procure contractors for the project by the mine.
The Konkua to Billimoiya road situated in the Agarabi LLG serves impact villages of the K92 Mine Limited Gold Project and has been a long neglected for the past 20 years since the establishment of the mine.
Two of the contractors engaged to carry out the road sealing project with R& Sons to seal from Konkua junction to Bilimoya (15km) and Classic Engineering Construction Company to seal 8 km- Ayamuntina to Pomasi road.
This stretch of roads serves more than twenty thousand 20 000 people, from 9 communities and 3 council wards within the Agarabi LLG.
Konkua road Community Representative Frank Anao speaking on behalf of the people along the impact village areas welcomed the project with so much praise as an initiative of the K92 Mine Project after many years of being overlooked by past developers.
Mr Anao speaking onbehalf of the people during the launching of the road sealing project said road is an essential service that has been neglected for so many years and will also pave way for other development and services that has been lacking in the Aubana area.
Many of the villages located along the road have missed out on alot of services since the establishment of the mine due to political and landowner issues and this project was a first impact project from the mine.
It is indicated in the work notice that the KDDA has resolved in a meeting to temporarily suspend or halt the implementation of the project pending K92 mine Limited consultation of the KDDA and suspicions of collusion, compromising and corruption and breach of the Tax credit scheme procurement process.
