IJIVITARI MP QUERIES RELEASE OF FUNDING FOR SAFIA-KUPIANO ROAD

Ijivitari MP David Arore in Parliament this morning, asked Minister for Works & Highways Solan Mirisim, when funding for the Afore-Safoa-Kupiano Road Project, would be released to the district.

MP Arore says project funding of K10 million has been parked in the Department of Works & Highways for over a year now and questioned when this funding can be released to the contractors to start the work.

He says the Ijivitari Districts has gone ahead and used its own money to start this road project, as there is no road connectivity between the 3 Local Level Governments (LLGs) however, landowners had halted progress, due to the removal of their gardens and immediate surroundings.

The Ijivitari MP asked whether compensation for these landowners would be taken care of by the Department of Works & Highways or whether the Ijivitari District Development Authority (IDDA) would pay for personal damages of the Landowners.

In his response, the Minister Mirisim says the Ijivitari DDA is to foot the bill of compensation for the landowners, in the 40-meter corridor leading out of the Ijivitari District.

He says the Connect PNG Program by law, is not responsible for paying compensation for damage of gardens and such.

MP Mirisim says funding is appropriated and this means the Department cannot pay out the full K10 million however he confirmed that K4 million was currently available and says he had already discussed this matter with the MP earlier.