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Link road nears completion
By LUANA PANIU
AFTER five years and almost K100
million later, the construction of the Sembirigi-Pawabi road in
the Erave district of Southern Highlands province is almost
complete.
Civil Pacific Construction (CIVPAC), a landowner company from the
area, initiated the construction and has drilled, blasted and cut
into the thick terrain of the region to link the Gobe to Sembirigi.
This is the company’s eighth developmental project, with funding
made available under the Government’s Tax Credit Scheme.
Since being registered in 2002, CIVPAC has taken the initiative to
employ men from the Sembirigi district.
Under the Tax Credit Scheme through the Department of Petroleum
and Energy, the first 7km of construction, beginning at Gobe, was
allocated a total of K8 million.
Oil Search provided K5.6 million worth of funding for the next 5km
and a further K30 million for another 10km.
So far, with the funding made available, CIVPAC has constructed a
total of 52km of road with 10km yet to be completed.
“OilSearch is providing K45 million to build this 10km road to
Pawabi,” project co-coordinator Michael John said.
He said that it had not been easy for the company to quickly
complete this road because it depended on funding.
Meanwhile, CIVPAC managing director Augustine Mano said long-term
development plans for the project included the linking of Pawabi
to Erave (which already links to Mendi), and then a link to Kikori,
other parts of the Gulf province, and ultimately link up with
other major highways.
“This will see many business opportunities in terms of selling
market produce to agents, who want to sell in the major towns and
cities in the country,” he said.
“It will also be an opportunity for the traditional Duba trade
between Kikori and the Southern Highlands to be revived.”
Mr Mano said that he had seen the plight of the people and wanted
to make it easier for them to have access to basic services and
open up international investment.
CIVPAC’s other developmental projects include construction of
roads at Saunders and Bilip rig sites, Gobe, Gulf-Highlands road
link, construction of oil pad funded under the Tax Credit Scheme,
and another private job at a total cost of K17.8 million.
 
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