IN the most recent of contracts awarded in the continued rehabilitation and sealing of road works around the country, JLW Contractors were awarded K16 million to complete the road from Merimunda to Kompiam in Enga.
The contract was signed today at the Government House by representatives of JLW Contractors, primarily the Managing Director Jacob Jim, and Secretary for Works David Wereh.
According to Mr Wereh this particular road has long been a project on the government and ADB’s agenda for the ongoing Highlands Coal Road Network program through ADB funding, and its awarding to JLW Contractors was done on par with their previous contract to now complete that road down to Kompiam Station.
“The contract is valued at K16 million and this is part of the ongoing program of the national government to see the major trunk roads around the country are upgraded and brought to a sealed level. So it’s a total of K16 million and the contract period is for 12 months. Part of the road from Wabag to Merimunda has already undergone sealing.
“K16 million for 16 km, its almost like K1 million for 1 km of the road. A lot of work has already been done so this is just for the stabilization and sealing of this section of the road.”
The director of JLW Contractors Jim clarified that the two sections previously completed was under the Asian Development Bank (ADB) in 2012. Now they’ve put the two sections into one under the K16m contract to cater for the stabilization and permanent sealing of the remaining section.
Mr Wereh explained the contract is now part of the K4 billion active contracts currently running under the Connect PNG Development Infrastructure Program 2020-2040.
“We’d like to see that major trunk roads around the country are upgraded and improved to a standard where we can see buses and good PMV systems providing service to our people and our rural farmers. That is the whole concept of the Connect PNG policy.”
He said the policy that was launched in August last year is aimed at connecting all the major provinces to the trunk roads, that eventually will create a national highway and enable accessible economic activity for all Papua New Guineans.
He reiterated the K5 billion is the accumulated value of the K4 billion worth of active contracts and the inclusion of K1.5 billion worth of works that is currently awaiting endorsement by the NPC Board.
“Of the active contracts we have the Highlands Highway that’s taking up about 430 km of major upgrading and sealing works that are currently ongoing. We just signed two World Bank road projects for Epo-Kerema in Gulf and Bogia-Awar in Madang. We have bridge projects that are running on the Sepik Coastal Highway, and we still have roadwork contracts running in the Autonomous Region of Bougainville.
“Despite funding issues, importantly, our contractors are cooperating very well. They keep progressing, they keep employing our locals and keep maintaining and up-keeping our works for our people.”