WNB told road works in ’14 budget

 SMALL holder palm oil producers have been assured that the government would fund roads infrastructure in their project areas in the 2014 national budget, Parliament was told yesterday.

Works and Implementation Minister Francis Awesa said this in response to West New Britain Governor Sasindran Muthuvel who asked if the government would assist palm oil producers to fund the maintenance of roads.

Awesa said there were 23,000km of roads that did not receive any government funding over the years although the province generated K57 million for the country.

The minister said he acknowledged the contributions from the producers and the contribution of K45 from every tonne of palm oil sold to maintain roads in their project areas.

He said in 2014 the government would include budget funding for road networks in the palm oil producing provinces of West New Britain, Northern, Milne Bay, Northern and New Ireland.