Photo credit: PM Marape News Page - Works Minister Hon. Michael Nali introducing the Bill in Parliament.
PRIME Minister Hon. James Marape has welcomed the passage of the Connect PNG (Funding and Implementation Arrangements) Bill 2021.
The Bill, passed with a vote of 78-5 by a largely unanimous House, will see to the actioning of the Marape Government’s massive infrastructure development and rehabilitation program that is targeted at connecting remote Papua New Guinea to the outside world and building backwater rural economies.
The massive K20 billion-over-20-years-programme is central to Prime Minister Marape’s vision for economic recovery among ordinary Papua New Guineans and becomes the biggest driver of this developmental change, targeted to impact some six million people through a 100 percent connectivity by the year 2040.
The Programme also takes the focus away from the previous Government’s concentration on road development within the Nation’s Capital and into the areas where roads are needed the most.
Works Minister Michael Nali, in presenting the Bill, called the programme a “game changer” for PNG and greatly applauded the initiative.
He said: “The Marape Government has developed and progressively implemented the Connect PNG Economic Road Transport Infrastructure Development Program 2020 – 2040, commonly known as Connect PNG. It is the largest infrastructure development program ever undertaken by any government.”
Under the Program, these will be developed: 16km of strategic roads comprising 4200km, 1800km of strategic missing links, 9000km of provincial and district roads, and 2000 metres of bridges and cross drainage structures.
Already 2000km of roads have been built by the Marape Government between 2020 and 2021, with more work earmarked under the 2022 budget.
“The (Bill) is to secure a legislative footing for a long-term funding commitment that will ensure that this important plan is fully realised,” added the Works Minister.
Among others things, the Bill will:
Commit the State to allocate minimum annual funding of 5.6 percent of the annual national budget to 2040 to fund the program for its life, amounting to about K1 billion per year;
- Enable the State to borrow for the financing of the program, in line with the Public Finance (Management) Act 1995, and other legislative safeguards;
- Ensure the security of the funding by establishing the Programme trust fund;
- Ensure timely and effective procurement for the Programme;
