Agiru Highway project to start soon

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By NAOMI WASE
WORK will soon begin on the final phase of the Agiru Highway that will connect Gulf, Southern Highlands and Hela provinces.
The 40km road project will start from Semberigi at the border of Gulf and Southern Highlands and end at Erave, also in Southern Highlands.
The contract has been awarded to CIVPAC Ltd, whose general manager Dixie Karince Pombe and director Daniel Ope signed the contract yesterday with Governor-General Sir Michael Ogio. Works Department Secretary David Wereh, who witnessed the signing at Government House, said the section from Kikori to Semberigi was completed
He said the new project is  the final phase from Semberigi to Erave.
“This is the remaining bit and once it is completed, we have the full Gulf, Southern Highlands, Hela highway,” he said.
Wereh said the highway was named after the late Hela governor Anderson Agiru, who initiated the project. Prime Minister Peter O’Neill announced this during Agiru’s funeral service earlier.
Pombe said CIVPAC was privileged to build the first 54km of the road and was more honoured to complete the remaining 40km to link Gulf and Southern Highlands.
“It is a two-year contract but we may want to bring that up,” he said.
Pombe said CIVPAC had camps and equipment in place and expected to start work on the final phase soon.