State sets priority on upgrading important roads

By LUKE KAMA
Works and Implementation Minister Michael Nali has made it clear that the Government will prioritise certain roads in the country because of their significance to revive and grow the country’s economy.
Nali said all roads network in the country were important but because Papua New Guinea was facing a difficult time with its economy due to downturn in the prices of commodities in the global market and wise investments must be made on the limited resources that was available to the government.
“That’s why I have taken a nationwide tour of all our national roads starting with the Boluminski Highway in the New Ireland, the Highlands Highway, the Coastal Sepik Highway, the missing link between Lae and Port Moresby, Mt Hagen and Madang,  as well the missing link between Madang and East and West Sepik.
“We now have to prioritise certain roads in the country to upgrade and maintain because of their importance to revive our economy.”
Nali said the Highlands Highway was definitely the backbone of PNG’s economy because it linked to major oil and gas projects like the PNG LNG project, Porgera Gold Mine,  coffee and other fresh produce from the five provinces in the Highlands.
“I have seen the deteriorating conditions and the struggles that businesses like major companies and others are facing,” Nali said.
“So the government has already secured K3 billion to upgrade this important highway starting in April next year.
Nali said roads that linked coffee, cocoa, copra, vanilla and potential areas for other commercial investments in agriculture like cattle farming, would be prioritised.
He said he would soon visit Vanimo roads and the road to Butum at the border of Papua New Guinea and Indonesia and the Highlands Highway from Mt Hagen to Tari and Mendi and the East and West New Britain Highway.