Engineers assigned to work as SOE continues

By PISAI GUMAR
THE Department of Works (DOW) engineers are documenting a scope of works for both major and minor roadwork contracts for the 9-Mile to Bulolo Highway.
DOW provincial works manager Samson Apai said based on a provision in the 2020 national budget, the engineers were assigned to do procurement in spite of the state of emergency (SOE).
Apai said the 9-Mile-Bulolo Highway fell under two sourcer for funding the Government of PNG (GoPNG) transport support sector programme (TSSP) and the Australian government funding arrangement.
The Work for GoPNG funding will commence in June while the work under TSSP is tendered under the longterm maintenance programme.
“We anticipate to commence work after awarding contracts in early 2021 under TSSP funding,” Apai said.
He said there was also a provision in the 2020 budget for the Bulolo-Menyamya Highway which engineers had been assigned to document its scope of work.
He said the DOW had stood down non-essential staff and was working on immediate projects and emergencies only.
The DOW also signed an agreement with the Bulolo district development authority (DDA) and assigned an engineer to provide supervision and technical advice to contractor for the Bulolo-Wau back road upgrading.
Meanwhile, Bulolo MP Sam Basil said the back road access was still owned by the Wandumi landowners of Biangai under a special arrangement with the National Forest Authority (NFA) to access its timber plantation.
The access is used by PNG Forest Product to cut and transport logs.