Awesa opts for alternate road to Moem Barracks

By GABRIEL FITO
THE Department of Works in East Sepik has been asked by Works and Implementation Minister Francis Awesa to investigate construction of an alternate road to the Moem army barracks.
That is because the existing road that runs between the beach and mangroves is beyond repair.
Awesa, who was in Wewak last weekend with Trade, Commerce and Industry Minister Richard Maru, drove through the road that was battered by a king tide recently.
He expressed the need for another route to the Moem peninsula because the national government would waste money on repairing the eroded road.
“It is better we find an alternate route to Moem Barracks because, even if we maintain the existing road it will not withstand high seas,” he said.
“It is better for the government to save money and build a road which will last for years,” Awesa said.
Provincial works manager Terry Philip said it would cost almost K5 million to repair the existing road.
“All papers for the existing road as per the recent scoping by technical officers have been presented to the minister but, because he wanted a new road, we will do the scope with costing and present it to him for funding,” Philip said.
The new road would run from Savarin village, on the east coast, to Moem village and Moem Barracks.
Awesa said funding for the road would be made available as soon as all paperwork by the Department of Works was completed.