Prime Minister Hon. James Marape, MP, today, visited his Tari and Pori districts to inspect the reconstruction of roads and the bridge infrastructure.
In expressing his appreciation to the Minister for Works & Highways, Hon. Solan Mirisin and his Secretary for Works David Wereh, for the outstanding projects that are currently underway, PM Marape said this is not only in Tari and Pori, but throughout Hela Province as well.
While inspecting the reconstruction of the road leading to the Hides Gas project site, along the Ambua section in Tari, PM Marape said as part of the government’s ‘Connect PNG’ focus, we have, for the first time, seen substantial work been done, not to rehabilitate but to reconstruct this road to a two-lane highway standard.
“This is the road that continues to carry the PNG LNG.
“It played a major role in the construction of the PNG LNG project and is now serving the operation phase of the PNG LNG, from the Hides Gas area.
“The importance of this road cannot be understated by the fact that, last year, this project delivered K7 billion, all in all, through taxes, royalties and equities, to our country and also to our Papua New Guinean beneficiaries,” PM Marape said.
He said this road not only benefits the 400,000 Hela people here, but also the PNG LNG project, which further leads to parts of Western Province and West Sepik.
“Going back from here, this road connects the Southern Highlands, Enga, to Western Highlands and further onward, down to the coast.
“This is an important part of the national highway, that has received little support in the past.
“Nonetheless, we are now rehabilitating it as part of the entire ‘Connect PNG’ network of roads, being developed throughout the country, and this part is seeing it’s fair share of progress,” Prime Minister Marape said.
He said during his inspection with Works Secretary Wereh, he expressed his satisfaction of the progress and anticipated that, in the next two years, this road will be reconstructed to a world class two-lane highway, not only serving Hela Province, but also the PNG LNG project, which is not far from here.
