Completion of East-West highway upgrade in Manus likely to delay

The Manus East-West Highway, a critical highway for transportation and connectivity in Manus Province, is undergoing a significant upgrade as part of the National Government’s Connect PNG program.

This project, aimed at improving a 32.2 kilometer stretch of road connecting the NBC junction in Lorengau Town to Kawa Primary School in the Tetidu Local Level Government [LLG], have been facing potential delays due to funding challenges.

Launched in November 2022 by Deputy Prime Minister John Rosso, the K115.9 million project took nearly three years under the supervision of Department of Works and Highways [DoWH], implemented by COVEC PNG Limited.

While significant progress has been made, the project's timeline is now uncertain.

In an interview with NBC News this week, Provincial Works Manager, Domenic Keoa said consistent government funding is critical for timely completion of the project.

He said that the GoPNG-funded project is vulnerable to government cash flow issues, which at times halted work and forced contractor stand-down.

“It’s a government funded project so when the government faces cash flow issues, it also directly affects the progress of work and in some instances and directly impacted the project's schedule.

“The initial completion date of September 2025 is now considered unlikely to be met,” Mr. Keoa said.

Mr. Keoa expresses doubt that the contractor will finish on time, anticipating a formal request for an extension from COVEC PNG Limited.

Despite these setbacks, the dedicated workforce continues its efforts to transform the existing road into a durable and safe two-lane sealed highway.

Meanwhile, the 32.2-kilometer road has been divided into three sections, two 10-kilometer segments and one 12-kilometer segment.

A crucial 1.5-kilometer section, running from Tamat to Paranga, has already undergone road sealing tests.

This trial, according to Mr. Keoa, allowed for the refinement of construction techniques to optimize the results for the remaining sections.

Currently, the focus is on the initial 10-kilometer segment, where active road repair work is underway.