Local leaders and villagers are calling on the National Government to release urgent emergency funding to save the Tapini Highway, warning that the vital road is fast deteriorating.
They say the highway is “crumbling away” while other parts of the country benefit from new road projects under the Connect PNG Program.
The Tapini Highway is the only road lifeline for people in western Goilala. It begins at Arapokina in Kairuku District and runs 118 kilometers through rugged mountains and deep valleys to Tapini.
The road was built more than 50 years ago by the late Louis Mona shortly after Independence. Despite its importance, it has received little attention over the decades.
In 2010, the route was officially declared a National Road. However, local leaders say successive governments have failed to allocate enough funding for proper maintenance and upgrading.
Although the issue has been raised many times in Parliament, the highway has never been upgraded to meet National Highway standards.
The road is well known for its harsh terrain, crossing steep mountains and fast-flowing rivers that frequently wash away bridges.
Under the Marape–Rosso Government’s Connect PNG Program, a construction company has been receiving about K5 million each year for the road, they claimed.
Local leaders argue this funding is far too small to repair such a dangerous and badly damaged highway.
Efforts to improve the road also suffered a setback following the death of the late Minister for Works and Highways, Hon. Solan Mirisim, who had been working to address the issue.
The people of Goilala are now making three key appeals:
• Emergency relief: Immediate funding to repair washed-out bridges and damaged sections of the road.
• Clear information: A clear statement on which roads in Central Province will be funded under the Connect PNG Program.
• Provincial action: A call for the Provincial Administration to ensure government services reach rural communities and wards.
Goilala is currently working to develop three main roads to connect the district to the rest of the country.
However, leaders say without increased funding, the district will remain isolated from Gulf, Morobe, and Oro provinces.
They warn that without a reliable road; it is impossible to deliver basic health and education services to the people.
Local leaders say they are now waiting for urgent action from the National Government before the Tapini Highway is lost completely.