Four towns eyed as hubs

 By SHIRLEY MAULUDU

THE Government has identified certain towns and cities as possible economic hubs for development.

Prime Minister Peter O’Neill revealed this at the Papua New Guinea international investment summit in Port Moresby on Monday.

He said apart from the existing major centres of Port Moresby and Lae, the Government has identified others that have taken steps to manage urbanisation in PNG’s growth, diversity and economy maturity.

“We have identified Kokopo as our major tourism hub, Goroka as regional services centre with Wewak and Madang as hubs driven largely by the fisheries sector,” O’Neill said.

He said the Government would focus on ensuring that the economies of these centres could grow substantially through attracting new industries and supporting existing businesses and provide avenues for them to expand.

“I am especially keen to implement a planned and properly implemented urban economic development programme in these centres because we simply must be more competitive when it comes to industries and businesses,” O’Neill said.

“One of the lessons that we must learn from low commodity prices and other international factors far beyond our control is that we must lift our productivity so that we are on the same level and playing field as our regional and international competitors,” he said. 

Meanwhile, O’Neill said with the focus to expand and invest in the identified economic hubs, the Government will work with provincial and local government leaders to provide efficient infrastructure such as houses, schools and hospitals so that PNG families would remain and work in those economic centres. 

He said the Government was going to invest heavily in the rural and urban communities from the revenue flow from gas development and other resources and construction sectors.