NOVEMBER 12 2021
Prime Minister Hon. James Marape says he is not deliberately delaying work on the Bulolo Highway, as claimed by former Bulolo MP Samson Napo and other critics.
He said this after Napo, in a very-misleading and defamatory statement circulated on mainstream and social media, accused the Prime Minister of playing politics in the Bulolo Highway by holding on to K66 million allocated by the Australian Government for road maintenance.
PM Marape said the Bulolo Highway was so badly damaged and would cost far more than the K66 million for just a cosmetic makeover, hence, his Government would add another K50 million to bring the total up to K116 million.
He said he verified this for himself when he drive from Mumeng to Lae recently after attending a Wafi-Golpu landowners’ meeting.
PM Marape said his Government would add another K50 million on top of the K66 million from Australia for a permanent and lasting road to serve the people of Huon Gulf, Bulolo and Menyama districts who live along the Bulolo Highway.
“There is no deliberate delay by me on work on the Bulolo Highway, as falsely claimed by Napo, except that we are working with Works Department to see if that K66 million contract can be varied to do not just maintenance but permanent rehabilitation work,” PM Marape said.
” This is especially the section from Mumeng to Markham Bridge outside Lae that I drove on in my last visit to Mumeng.
“The K66 million given by Australia is a lot of money, and on top of this, we have another K50 million to invest in this important economic road.
” People must know that the Australian maintenance contract of K66 million is not for permanent work, but road maintenance.
“We are working for a permanent solution, especially on the sections I felt were totally ruined, and would not be addressed by a maintenance run that would be ruined with the next rain.
“We can do a better, permanent road and we are getting Works and Australian High Commission, plus our lawyers, to see how these contracts can synergise
“We are working with Works to reconfigure the scope of the road, so we do permanent reconstruction on this badly-damaged road than just cosmetic maintenance.
” After advice that we could overlay the K66 million maintenance contract with a reconstruction contract, especially for the section from Mumeng to Markham Bridge, we are working on a reconstruction contract for that specific section.
” Works Manager in Lae knows about this interest of the National Government to do a permanent upgrade of Bulolo Highway, so I call on ill-informed commentators like Samson Napo – who do not know the background – not to be quick to make false allegations.
“We are a Government going to rural places such as Bulolo, Wau, Gairaina and Menyama with better roads just like we are doing in the rest of the country.
” The K66 million from Australia for the Bulolo Highway would not have gone there if my Government did not point them there, or any other places in PNG they are working in now, so I ask Mr Napo and others who have criticised without knowing the facts to apologise.”
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