Delay in funding puts highway in Lae on hold

THE first phase of the four-lane highway from Bugandi Junction to 9-Mile in Lae is yet to be formally commissioned after its completion last year.
The street lights have not been turned on as the Government has yet to buy eight transformers to hook up with the main grid.
Many of the light poles have already been damaged driving accidents.
Morobe Governor Ginson Saonu raised his concerns about the incomplete work during a formal meeting with the highway contractor China Railway International acting general manager, Tony Mu, and project manager, David Liu, on Tuesday.
Saonu said that the standard of the project was an eye-opener to the people and the provincial government appreciated the national governments’ initiative to ensure the project was completed on time.
“However, the concern is the delay in project continuity due to bad roads leading into the city from Nadzab to 9-Mile including no power supply for the streets lights erected along the first stage of the project,” Saonu said.
While CRI was awaiting government funding to continue the second phase of the highway (9-Mile to Yalu Bridge), the provincial government engaged their services to construct two feeder roads – the 40-Mile-Wawin National High School and Busu Bridge-Poahom roads.
Mu had said in August that the second phase of the four-lane highway was divided into two sections.  Section 2A from 9-Mile to Yalu Bridge was awarded to CRI on March 24, 2017.
“CRI submitted the guarantee to the Government as scheduled.  The Government should have released advance payment in early May but it is still not available until now.”