Govt allocates K30m for rerouting highway

 THE Government has allocated K30 million for a feasibility study on the rerouting of sections of the Highland Highway that are affected by continuous heavy rainfall and landslides, Parliament was told yesterday.

Works and Implementation Minister Francis Awesa said this in response to questions from Chuave MP Wera Mori on the proposed re-routing of the Daulo section from Kamaliki in Eastern Highlands to Movi and Chuave in Chimbu.

Mori also asked if the Government would continue funding the road work on the proposed road and if the Government would investigate the “missing K24 million” from Highlands Highway rehabilitation programme. 

Awesa said the Government was also looking at rerouting the Kundiawa to Kerowagi section of the highway because of the continuous landslips.

He said the highway was a major concern and the feasibility study would address issues related to the re-routing and upgrading of these sections of the highway.

Awesa also said he did not have the powers to award contracts and therefore he could not approve the variation to the contract work on the road from Chuave to Movi that was awarded to Shornscliffe.

“For any variation to any contract, it has to go through the Central Supplies and Tenders Board,” he said.

Awesa said he could not discuss the issue relating to the missing rehabilitation programme funds as it was before the courts and several senior public servants had been charged over the matter.