New era dawns on Momase

THE Momase region is about to experience and in turn trigger a major shift in the socio-economic landscape of the country in the next decade, if events of this past week are any indication.
O we can hear the critics yelling: “Yeah, great! We’ll believe when we see that happening.
“And where will we get the billions of kina for these mega-projects when the country is barely surviving on donations and loans?”
But barring politics and the economics of this ambitious development agenda, the range of planned projects will set the region off on such a growth trend that it would impact the rest of the country like never before.
Big change like this especially in the Sepik area has been lacking for years. And the irony of it – to rehash a common old argument – is that Momase region and East Sepik in particular had someone in the person of the revered grand chief from Murik Lakes to have done something in his time to usher in some of this talked-about change.
But good things come to those who wait, right?
The focus of government is now turning toward Momase.
Prime Minister O’Neill and senior ministers arrived in Madang town on Tuesday morning. The delegation visited Madang to launch a number of initiatives and projects that will boost infrastructure and economic growth in the province.
These included the ground-breaking for the Madang Airport upgrade, the reopening of the Surumarang or Banab Bridge in Sumkar, the launching of the Madang Town four-lane road and the official hand-over of the Pacific Maritime Industrial Zone (PMIZ) to the Madang Provincial Government.
“Madang has enormous potential to increase jobs and expand business,” the Prime Minister said.
“We will keep strengthening infrastructure and working in partnership with the provincial government and business to grow the local economy. Our Government is committed to the progress we are delivering in Madang and this will continue for our people of Madang.”
The PM’s tour of Momase actually began last Friday at the small government station of Usino in the Usino-Bundi electorate of Madang where O’Neill launched the rural electrification programme as well as the alternative highway route from Usino to Yal in the Transgogol area of Madang district.
After the official engagements in Madang on Tuesday, the PM’s delegation arrived in Wewak on the next day and from there travelled to Vanimo in West Sepik.
O’Neill’s visit to the region has sparked off a political showdown of sorts in Madang town where the local MP and arguably O’Neill’s strongest and most famous critic right now, staged rival gatherings to challenge the prime minister.
Nevertheless, Madang declared a public holiday on Tuesday so all public servants would be part of the visit by the PM’s delegation.
In Wewak the Prime Minister was received by East Sepik Governor Allan Bird and a military guard of honour by the PNG Defence Force Second Royal Pacific Island Regiment (2RPIR) from Moem Barracks at the Boram airport.
There he launched the K50 million new Boram Airport terminal and runway expansion projects in the morning and in the afternoon, he commissioned the new K15 million nursing college at the Divine Word University Kaindi campus before traveling to Vanimo.
In Vanimo he also commissioned work on the new airport terminal and airport upgrade there.
Already Mt Hagen, Gurney, Goroka, Hoskins, Vanimo and Momote (Manus) airports have received similar facelifts and re-development under the Civil Aviation Development Investment Programme (Cadip) in the recent past.
Presently, Papua New Guinea’s airports cannot sufficiently accommodate F100 aircraft. The introduction of the F100 has deteriorated the condition of airport runways in PNG. Inadequate funding has prevented the maintenance of related airport equipment, such as RFFS trucks and standby power supplies.
Most airports do not have security fencing. Cadip will ensure certification and operational deficiencies, including the runway length of F100 airports, meet International Civil Aviation Organisation (ICAO) requirements.
The F100 aircraft requires a minimum runway length of 1900 metres. Only three of NAC’s 22 airports meet this requirement. The Cadip runway length upgrade will ensure that 12 airports can accommodate F100 aircraft.
National Planning Minister and Yangoru-Saussia MP, Richard Maru and his Inter-Government Relations counterpart, Kevin Isifu who is also Wewak MP, were on the ground in Wewak last week to ensure the stage was set’for the PM’s visit on Wednesday.
The National Government approved and signed the contract for the Wewak airport redevelopment towards the end of last year. Contractor, China Shen Yang International Corporation (CSYIC) is already on the ground and on Tuesday the two Ministers visited the project site and held talks with the NAC ground staff headed by manager, John Francis.
“We are happy and honoured…we will make sure the project is delivered on time with 100 per cent quality,” the CSYIC lead engineer who did not want to be named, said.
In all, East Sepik is receiving projects worth in the vicinity of half a billion kina.
These projects include the Boram Hospital re-development (K300 million), the Boram airport terminal and runway expansion (K50 million), the nursing school (K15 million), Wewak town roads sealing (K15 million), new bore water supply station at Yawasoro (K1.5 million), new Wewak wharf (K40 million), new Hawain bridge (K20 million) and three new science labs for Passam National High School (K1 million).
Minister Maru has committed to continue to fund the upgrade of the Sepik Highway from Maprik to Lumi in West Sepik where the highway ends.
He also announced in Wewak that the design phase of the Momase highway has already started.
From Watarais in Morobe to Madang, design work was undertaken by the World Bank while the Asian Development Bank (ADB) will work on plans for the Madang to Wutung (West Sepik) section.
“After the Prime Minister’s visit (to Wewak), I will travel to Manila, Philippines to secure funding for the Momase highway project,” Maru said.
Minister Isifu said “It is for the first time in 40 years that East Sepik is getting a windfall funding for projects worth K500 million. I thank the Prime Minister dearly and wish to assure him of our loyalty and support in his term in office.
Maru said: “These sorts of projects were well and truly long overdue for East Sepik.”
If this government or any future government follows through with these major infrastructure projects, Momase region and the country will witness the dawn of a new era in the coming years.
In pursing this ambitious development agenda, hower, government has got to exercise caution in not overburdening future generations with decades of debt servicing.
The general thinking is right though it is going to be a delicate balance for the powers that be.
Perhaps the golden thread linking the proposed development programme is the proposed Momase highway running from Lae to Wutung which will open up the Asian markets like never before. And the alternative route from Baiyer to Madang, which the army is currently working on, will also unlock potential for growth.
Throw in the existing and proposed mines as well as the agricultural promise of the Markham, Ramu and Sepik plains into the mix and Momase definitely has much going for it.
The compass of major government undertaking is steadily turning north!