20km part of highway costs State K35mil

By MALUM NALU in Kavieng
Works and Implementation Secretary David Wereh says it is costing the Government K35 million to complete 20km of the remaining 30km of the Boluminski Highway in New Ireland.
Wereh took his Minister Michael Nali on a tour yesterday of the highway which links Kavieng in the north to Namatanai in the south.
Dekenai Construction has been awarded the contract to seal the 20km section.
“It is costing the Government K35 million to seal and upgrade 20km,” Wereh said.
“I think that’s reasonable .”
Wereh said the highway was in good condition because of the continuous maintenance work over the years.
“The road has always been there, with the sealing programme starting some 15 years ago,” the secretary said.
“The road was already existing on the foundation that was laid some years.
“The sealing programme is continuing.
“The remaining bit is about 30km and the entire 300km will have been sealed.
“Our target is to see that by 2018, we should pick up the last 10km and that’s done.
“We should then have sealed off all the gravel sections of the Boluminski Highway.
“We are reaching the 300km mark now which is really good.”
Wereh said the Government wanted to do likewise to all major road in the country and seal off all gravelled sections.
“We want to see that all our main highways, priority road networks throughout the country are sealed, maintained and well managed,” he said.
“That’s the vision the minister has and the Government has.”