Works Minister, Francis Awesa, says contractors working on roads throughout the country, will have to sign a ten year warranty for every construction job.
It comes after almost K140 million, of road constructions in Lae city, failed to give the desired results, over the last two years.
Awesa said this while at the opening of Lae’s Bumbu Road, built by local construction company, FTM. Minister Awesa is now discouraging contractors, asking for variations, because standards have been given to complete roads on time.
New Road agreements will include a ten-year warranty signed by contractors.
This simply means if the contractor’s work is poor, the cost of improvements will come out from their own pocket.
“We will sign new agreements with ten year warrenty, to ensure that roads a done well, if not they will pay for the redo,” says Minister Awesa.
This new approach is aimed at reducing road jobs that has cost the people, millions of kina over the years, with very little to show for. Lae has had over K140 million in road works over the past several years.
But, today marked a significant achievement for a Lae based nationally owned Construction Company, and its first Female Project Engineer, Megan Ngutlick, who supervised the construction of the bumbu road.
FTM’s owner and Managing Director, John Rosso, has faced criticism over past months during changes in road standards from bitumen to cement, and nearly lost the contract.
“Works has done a tremendous job in sorting out all the difficulties in doing the job, and we finally got the approval to do the job commencing November of last year, and the job has know being completed,” he says.
Meanwhile, more roads in Lae should be opened and contracts have also been given out.
Six million kina has been given out to Red Rock Investment Holdings, for the Butibum Road section.