Wereh gives update

WORKS secretary David Wereh says 48 per cent of the major highways in the country have been tar-sealed.
Giving an update on the roads, Wereh said the Government had been allocating funds to ensure the roads were maintained.
“What we have today is three or four years of ongoing contracts that we are carrying forward into a more programme-based work aligned to key targets of the Government,” he said.
“We (are) committed to delivering 50 per cent of roads in good condition in the next 20 years.
“And work has already started.
“In the last five years, estimated work plan was around K11 billion. Our expenditure in the last five years stands around less than K6 billion which is a record.
“Testament to that are the Lae city roads, the Lae Nadzab four-lane road, the Hagen four-lane road which is almost 70 per cent complete, bridges on the Kokoda highway in Northern, bridges on the Hiritano and Magi highways (Central) and the bridges on the East and West New Britain highways,” he said.
Wereh said contracts were for four or five years.
“There are 10 to 12 regional road networks that must be connected,” he said.
The key is to connect the Momase, Highlands (roads) into Port Moresby. The Trans/Highlands highway is a priority.”