By SEPKOLIN WALNE
SOUTHERN Highlands Governor William Powi queried the slow progress of road sealing from Mendi, Poroma and Nipa in Southern Highlands to Hela Province.
He asked Works and Highways Minister Solan Mirisim when the sealing of the road will start.
“Government awarded the road sealing contract to the Oceanic construction company in 2021, my people of Nipa, Poroma, Nembi-Plato and Kutubu are complaining, Governor Powi said.
“When will the sealing of this road commence as there is nothing happening on the contractors awarded?”
“We have launched this conference some years ago. Can you assure my people when will the sealing of this road start?”
“How much money has been paid by the Government to this contractor?
“I say this because people of SHP need to know that the contractor has stopped work and is blaming the state for not honouring the contract.
“Some clarity must be made to the people on the progress of work on how much has been paid.
“I am requesting to you Minister of Works to bring the Secretary and officials of the department of Works, the contractor Oceanic Construction and SHP government officials, including myself and Member for Nipa Kutubu, Dr Billy Joseph, for a final round table conference to deal with this matter once and for all,” Governor Powi said.
Minister Mirisim responded: “Contractor Oceanic Limited is a local contractor from SHP and he is working on the section between Mendi and Nipa station.
“The contract section is about 58.6 kilometres at the contract cost of K221.8 million. The contract commenced in November 2021 and is expected to be completed by March 2026.
“The contractor, Oceanic Limited, has been paid according to our records of K85.3 million from the Works and Highway Department.
“The contractor was also paid K34.5 million as advance payment in 2021 when the contract was signed. In total, the contractor has been paid almost K119.8 million.
“As far as my department is concerned, we have honoured the State’s commitment in paying the contractor 54% of the contract amount of almost K120 million since 2021.
“However, the contractor has done 36% of the work while being on site for the last three years and seven months, and saying that the Government has not adhered to its commitment was a lie.
“The contractor has only seven months to complete 64% outstanding work, which is not possible.
“Let me appeal to the people of SHP and the Governor that I will direct my department officers to ensure such poor performing contractors will be dealt accordingly under the terms and conditions of the contract,” Minister Mirisim said.