Gulf and SHP now linked

ROADS

By CHRISTOPHER PAPIALI
LEADERS are not born but are created.
In the Erave culture, bigmanship is not passed on from one to another but emerges from anyone who demonstrates leadership in the village or clan.
And in our contemporary Erave, true leadership comes from those who make intelligent decisions, making sure those decisions are managed well to bring peace and development.
One of those in the league of legends in this context is Augustine Sanga Mano. He is from the Semberigi Valley, an area known for rich culture and organic food.
Mano’s rise to the echelon was evidenced on the April 8, 2022 when he officially handed over the SHP-Gulf Highway, which CIVPAC Ltd has constructed from Semberigi to Waloa to the National Government.
This day, indeed was spectacular and very special because Prime Minister James Marape, accompanied by five of his cabinet ministers (Michael Nali, Pila Niningi, Wesley Raminai, Win Bakri Daki, Renbo Paita) and three governors (William Powi, Philip Undialu, Chris Haiveta) came to open it.
Also there were some top bureaucrats including Dr Francis Hualupmomi, acting Secretary to DHERST, McRonald Nale (Principal of Jema Lawyers), David Wereh (Works Secretary), Silas Matoli (acting Marketing Head, Telikom Ltd) and Dr Kulala Mulung (acting PNG Science and Technology Council Secretariat CEO).
This was the Last Papua to the First Papua road link, connecting Gulf and Central to the interior coast-higher landmass of Erave-Kagua heralding a new dawn for economic prosperity, cultural benevolence and interconnectivity.
Minister for Works Michael Nali spoke on policies contained in the Connect PNG 2020-040 Economic Road Transport Infrastructure Programme of the National Government. Under this programme, Semberigi to Erave is one of the phase 1 of the total lengths of 260km captured under Gulf-Highlanders Corridor that would cost around K402,722.698 from 2020 – 2026.
“We must go back to the drawing board,” said Augustine Mano.
“The late Anderson Agiru, the favorite son of Hela, first identified this road link to come into fruition considering the huge economic potential that exist in the upper highlands and the Gulf of Papua”.
“It has taken 24 years, but to be exact that is 70 years, when the first Evangelical Church of Papua (ECP) missionaries settled in Semberigi Valley,” continued Mano.
And representing Gulf Province, Governor Chris Haiveta echoed similar sentiments saying Hela and SHP were twin sisters and he was there to cement that family bond.
“Gulf Province has close connections to Semberigi and Erave people. Trade continues to exist where people of Semberigi and Niae travel to Kikori Market to sell their organic food.
“There is no other time than this to make sure we put our differences aside in the Gobe Oil conflicts, and I challenge Chairman of Petroleum Resources Gobe, Mr Sisimolu to start prioritising development needs of his people,” Haiveta said.
The Gulf Governor was very articulate in his remarks and his presence at Waloa reminded us of the intrinsic cultural ties that the people of Erave and upper highlands had with the Gulf people.

First, the salt and kina shell trade existed between the people and the influence and adaptation gives us that profound connectivity in which this generation must appreciate.
Second, the first early explorers and colonial administrators penetrated, trekking the upper interior highlands from Kikori. Colonial government control pacified the people leading to civilization. In fact, Semberigi/Erave was the only gateway into Kagua, Ialibu, Mendi, Nipa and Hela.
The evidence can be attested to the creation and naming of Erave sub district. Erave in the Toaripi language of Gulf means ‘for all of us’. Therefore, the road link belonged to Gulf and SHP/Hela, which political leaders must provide decisive leadership in continuously funding it.
Further, Prime Minister, James Marape asked the people of Erave/Semberigi/Polopa to engage into agriculture and made available K3 million for agriculture purposes through an agro-technical institute to be established in Erave.
The Member for Tari Pori also acknowledged his predecessor, Peter O’Neill for his strong stand in ensuring road sealing from Ialibu to Kagua and the eventual recognition of SHP-Gulf Highway Link.
“I will make sure Erave and Semberigi will get electricity and already power polls have been erected from Kagua station to Mugiri. The onus is on (CEO of Kumul Petroleum Holdings Ltd) Wapu Sonk and his team to speed up this project immediately,” said Marape.
This day was filled with rain and southeasterly winds but this did not deter the people who came in large numbers all around the country. This moment was seized by the National Planning Minister, Renbo Paita in these words:
“Yumi save harim olsem taim ol lida blong Hela and SHP toktok long taim blong ren, ol pipel I no save muv. Ol save sidaun or sanap na harim tok.” (When the leaders of SHP and Hela are speaking during the rain, people don’t move away but stand still and listen).
Paita, a gifted orator, then continued to speak on specific roles MPs played on the floor of parliament in choosing a prime minister.
“You people vote for an MP but it is us MPs who choose the Prime Minister on the floor of parliament. And you Southern Highlanders and Hulis gathered here must know that having a Prime Minister is not your birth right,” continued Paita.
Meanwhile, the Minister for Higher Education, Research, Science, Technology and Sports and Kagua-Erave MP Wesley Raminai outlined his vision to transform his electorate. He said, he has funded 23 foot bridges throughout the entire electorate and the installation word was continuing.
Raminai, in his first term of parliament has funded several school infrastructures, hospital maintenance, funding of education and hospital use vehicles, road maintenance and construction – a political feat none of his predecessors has achieved.
“Next week we will have the launching of the Kagua TVET school and nursing college. This is a National Government project through the Department of Higher Education, Research, Science and Technology. These two impact projects will continue after whoever the new MP for Kagua-Erave is elected in the coming months.
“Some of you critics may think otherwise but I want to change the face of Kagua Erave from people telling us woodman, sago-eaters and all types of stereotypes,” Raminai said.
The Erave-Semberigi missing link project began in 2016 through the leadership provided by Oil Search Ltd through its tax credit scheme. Since then there have been landowner companies constructing the roads, which include Gobe Field Engineering, Gulf Rangers, TNG Constructions and CIVPAC Ltd. The western end of the Erave-Semberigi road project was contracted to TNG Constructions Ltd, which built the length from Erave station to Waloa. Cameroon Constructions Ltd, a Lae-based company was engaged in 2018 after corridor landowners living at Tiapili, Menakiri and Marorogo had disputes over certain sections of the land passing through their villages.
Considering the enormity of such landowner conflicts, Topa Mata, Managing Director of TNG Constructions must be applauded at all costs for his sturdy leadership, defying all challenges in pioneering the road constructions at this end.
The eastern end was covered by Gulf Rangers and Gobe Field Engineers. At the time of this writing, Gobe Field Engineers is doing pioneering road feeds from Pawale to Niae, which would then join TNG Constructions where the latter is also doing the same from Waloa to Niae.
We hope to connect Waloa, Niae, Sisike and Pawale before the end of this year.
But the climax of all the described road connectivity is the national highway that the national government has identified in the Connect PNG 2020 – 2040. CIVPAC Ltd as the main contractor from Kagua-Erave -Semberigi roads need to mobilise adequate resources and funding so that the dream of the late Anderson Agiru materialises.
There is nothing more I would like to say at this juncture but few game-changers have emerged in this very significant untouched region of the country and collectively we have created history by linking the Semberigi-Waloa road feed and there was no other time to do it than when Prime Marape made it happen on April 8,2022.
To you my brother Augustine Mano, I am stuck to these words: If our lives are already written, it would take a courageous man to change the script. And yes, our combined efforts on Erave airstrip are still pending!

• The author is first secretary to the Minister for Higher Education, Research, Science and Technology, and Sports