By Malinta Yopolo
A total of K1.35 billion has already been spent on Road Links from 2019 to 2023 under the connect PNG Program.
Prime Minister James Marape revealed this yesterday in a press conference in Port Moresby.
The Prime Minister said the road links are aligned with the economic activities in the area the road contacts
“The road K1.00 invested in road has a return of K4.00. That’s the general principles road investment. And in this road, we will be having a session amongst ourselves to see where this road is running at the moment and what economic activity could be grown out of those roads that are running whether it’s agriculture, forestry, fisheries, tourism or mining.” Pm Marape said.
PM Marape said that some of the existing highways in the country are under reconstruction
“You have Hiritano & Magi Highway being reworked upon, some of you would’ve seen contact issued last week for four-way lane that will extend beyond the four-way lane that my government gave from 9mile to Laloki river, so now Laloki to brown river contract has been issued. Buluminski highway and the Highlands highway, the Sepik Coastal. Lae- Madang road as I speak, Major roads as contacts running as well as the new ones where we are doing road.”
Meanwhile the Prime Minister has confirmed Local Level Government Elections will commence after the 2024 National Census
“We don’t want to overlap these two important tasks, all at the same time same time, counting people is important as much as elections of LLGs is important. I want to indicate to the country that census takes precedence. We’ll give our full endeavors to complete our census and after that is done, then we can move into the LLG elections”
