All information in this summary was extracted from the 2007 Annual Capital Works and Maintenance Report. Any reference to budgets and costs refers to 2007 apart from where it states a certain year. The first group of projects are undertaken by the Department of Works with funding from the National Government.
1. National Road Maintenance
- Appropriation: K20.0 million(GoPNG)
- Funds Received: K20.0 million
- Expended: K21.0 million
Emergencies occurring on major highways including landslips on the Highlands Highway,Enga Highway, the collapse of the Gusap Bridge on Ramu Highway and mud flows on the Wau Road. 2007 has seen the Department expend about K10,000 every month to keep the Wau section of the highway open with the continuous wet weather.The Department has been able to attend to emergencies on major highways thus minimising delays in the closure of these highways.
2. Napanapa Link Road
Contract to construct 11.3km, fully funded by GoPNG was awarded in 2006 to Curtain Brothers for K9.99 million. The initial scope of works is now complete. A variation to cover additional 4km at a cost of K3.5 million was approved and 80% of the work is now complete with the whole project to be completed in 2008.
3. Commodity Road Improvement
This program is aimed at improving access to commodities thus K5 million was made available to the Department to maintain roads linked to these commodity roads. Central, Milne Bay, Oro,East Sepik and West New Britain Provinces were allocated K1 million each. Works have been completed in Central and West New Britain while works are now progressing in Oro, East Sepik and Milne Bay provinces. The program in Oro has been affected by the disaster but they have been able to complete 90% of the work so far while work in East Sepik is nearing completion with Milne Bay slowly progressing due to late commencement.
4. Road Assessment Management (RAMS)
The road condition is now updated for all provinces.
5. Kerema-Malalaua
- Appropriation: K1.50 million
- Funds Received: K1.50 million
- Expended: K1.50 million
This project is in line with an NEC Decision and fully funded by the Government to provide an all-weather road linking Malalaua station to Kerema. The contract was awarded to Lailai Contsruction for K4.5 million in 2006. Wey weather has contributed greatly to the further deterioration of road conditions which has led to additional works being done by the contractor thus, additional costs. Additional work is still required to open this road but funds are now exhausted. Poor supervision from the department has also contributed to the poor output of this project.
6. Southern Highlinds Province Roads Maintenance
- Appropriation: K4.0 million (fully GoPNG)
- Funds Received: K4.0 million
- Expended: K4.0 million
NEC Decision 207/2005 approved the establishment of the Southern Highlands Provincial Works Unit to coordinate the maintenance of infrastructure in the province. This is to be funded by various sources. The State of Emergency complicated the implementation of projects but in spite of this, maintenance works were carried out and completed on selected roads.
7. Rural Bridge Program (Emergency Bridges)
K20 million was appropriated in the 2007 Development Budget to replace bridges that were lost to floods in 2006. Under the Certificate of Expediency arrangement funds have now been committed totaling K18.8 million to replace Hagama, Sankwep,Brugam, Kum,Pika and Little Navo bridges. Hagama and Sankwep are both complete others are to commence according to funding.