A K20 million contract for a 120-metre bridge across the Jimi River was signed last Friday in Port Moresby to connect Middle Ramu in Madang Province with Baiyer in Western Highlands.
The project, when completed, will improve transport access and supporting trade and economic development.
The contract was signed at the Department of Works and Highways headquarters at 4-Mile, Boroko, by Works Secretary Gibson Holemba and China Civil Engineering Construction Corporation (CCECC) PNG Limited Managing Director John Wong.
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Middle Ramu MP Hon. Kansol Harwai Kamdaru and senior Works Department officers witnessed the signing.
The project is being delivered under the Marape-Rosso Government’s Connect PNG programme as part of the Madang-Baiyer Economic Corridor.
It was procured through the Madang Provincial Procurement Committee, with construction expected to take five to six months.
The work will be carried out in two phases, covering foundation construction and the bridge superstructure.
Speaking during the signing, Middle Ramu MP Kamdaru said the people of Middle Ramu had waited a long time for the bridge and thanked the government, the Department of Works and Highways, and the contractor for making the project possible.
He said the road corridor would support the development of the Madang Special Economic Zone and create opportunities for agricultural production, particularly cocoa, coffee and other cash crops.
“With the Madang SEZ in Middle Ramu, and the production of cocoa, coffee and other cash crops, this road corridor will help boost our country’s economy,” Kamdaru said.
CCECC PNG Limited Managing Director John Wong said the company understood the importance of the project to communities in Madang, particularly those in Middle Ramu, and was committed to completing the work on time and within budget.
“First, I would like to thank the government and the secretary for giving us this opportunity to work with you,” Wong said.
“We have experience in constructing this kind of bridge, and we understand that this bridge is very critical for the people of Madang, especially the people of Middle Ramu,” he said.
“I promise that I will spare no effort to deliver this bridge project on time and within budget,” Wong added.
Works Secretary Gibson Holemba said the contract represented the government’s commitment to improving road connectivity under the Connect PNG programme.
He described the Madang-Baiyer corridor as an area with significant economic potential, particularly in mining, agriculture, coffee production, cattle and livestock development.
“There is huge potential in this valley that we will be able to translate into economic productivity,” Holemba said.
He said the corridor could also provide an alternative route from the Upper Highlands to Madang, strengthening domestic trade and connecting rural communities to markets.
Mr. Holemba also commended Kamdaru for using district funds to help open about 40 kilometers of road through difficult mountainous terrain, addressing a long-standing missing link along the corridor.
He said the route had faced challenges for almost 12 years and acknowledged the MP’s efforts to progress the road works despite limited resources.
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Meanwhile, Department of Works and Highways equipment under its Bridge Development and Maintenance (BDD) operations has reached the Jimi River, with regravelling work already underway, Secretary Holemba said.