CONNECT PNG is delivered on robust and strengthened governance and accountability framework that is guiding all financing, procurement, and implementation process to set standard and expenditure limits.
The Governor for East Sepik Allan Bird must substantiate his political rehotics with technical and economic evidence on the project delivered so far.
It is irresponsible and misleading for a person of his stature to make such a statement. Let me remind him of what this program has done to the Greater Sepik Region.
Under Connect PNG, the Marape-Rosso government has committed K500 million to fully upgrade and seal the Sepik Highways.
Construction begins in 2022 from Wewak to Aitape by Contractor Greenhill Construction and from Vanimo to Aitape by China Railway Engineering, and the Governor is fully aware of it.
He should applaud the Connect PNG program because Greater Sepik Region will benefit through this program. We have more than K200 million of ongoing capital works and another K300 million worth of Works at Tender stage covering the highways connecting both East and West Sepik.
He should be proud of the Connect PNG program because the people of Telefomin for the first time after 50 years have seen the road reaching them. The joy and tears you see on the face of this people is priceless compared to any monetary value.
Similarly, what monetary value can you put to the smiles and tears of joy for the people of Karamui, Maramuni, Finshafen, Sembriki, Kantiba and other 1 million people who have been disconnected but now connected? Isn’t that enough to proof the progressive value of the ongoing Connect PNG Program.
Look at the much improved condition of Highlands Highway? Doesn’t it worth the money spend? I ask the good Governor to Drive from Lae to Hagen and see for himself the much improved condition of the Highways unlike 10 to 15 years ago. Be realistic and then talk about the Connect PNG Program.
Connect PNG Economic Road Transport Infrastructure Development Program 2020-2040 (20 years) is to rebuild and restore key enabling transport infrastructure that will contribute to the socio economic growth of Papua New Guinea, as set out in the Medium-Term Development Plan IV, by providing for full 100% road connectivity by 2040.
Up keeping and restoration of run down road infrastructure is a sovereign responsibility of Government and our government’s 20 years Connect PNG Program reflects our long term commitment to reducing the backlog issues and improving road accessibility to levels that is fit to support socio economic growth in PNG.
The concern that the government has awarded contracts totalling over K5.0 billion and has exceeded the annual appropriations approved in the 2023 budget, is based on a misconception that the Department of Works and Highways has expended K5 billion in contract works in 2023 alone. This is not true.
I want reiterate that in order to meet the road network development targets, set by the government, there is nothing wrong with the current ongoing contracts commitments as there are well within the legislated Medium Term 2023-2027 Target of K7.9 billion in road works contracts in compliance with Section 209 of the Constitution and the Public Finances (Management) Act 1995.
This reflects the fact that total Connect PNG Budget is K20 billion over 20 years, not accounting for inflation. On average, this will eventually amount to an average annual expenditure of over K1 billion. We therefore cannot expect to achieve the programme’s strategic targets if we can only commit K450 million each year.
Section 209 of the Constitution has not been contravened, because the K5 billion will be part expended in 2023 in line with the 2023 Budget and the remainder will be expended in future annual budgets up to the end of Phase 1 in 2027.
All appropriations for Connect PNG annual budget are done within the legislated 5.6% limits and done in line with Treasury’s Five Year Economic and Budgetary forecasts, to cover the total Connect PNG investment cost of K20 billion over the 20 years program period.
Accordingly, all current K5billion commitments and another K2billion pipeline projects at tender stage are implemented within country’s current Debt/GDP ratio limits, and it does not add up additional debts as claimed by the Governor for East Sepik.
Connect PNG is truly reaching the unreached, connecting the unconnected and serving the unserved.
Thank you and God bless Papua New Guinea.
