Report: Good roads lead to better lives

CHAIRMAN of the transport sector coordination monitoring and implementation committee (TSCMIC) and Department of Transport secretary, Henry Parakei, has released the findings of this year’s impact study highlighting the benefits  road maintenance has for communities and families.
“Data was collected in 2008 and this year from 1,135 households across 40 villages in 10 provinces,” Parakei said.
He said the committee wanted to see more impact monitoring by agencies over the coming years to show how government spending was improving the lives of Papua New Guineans.
The findings reveal benefits that include reduced travel times, travel costs for many people when accessing health centres, suggesting better access to better education and health services accompanies better transport infrastructure, particularly for women and girls. 
“People are making more visits to distant markets in Central, East New Britain, East Sepik and West Sepik and overall are making an increased number of trips,” he said.
Funded by AusAID through PNG-Australia transport sector programme, TSCMIC had overseen the study.
The committee, which is responsible for coordinating the implementation of transport strategies and includes the department of works and the national roads authority, would use this information to improve planning and road maintenance programmes.
Parakei thanked villagers and village households across the 10 provinces for taking part in the study.