Pangu Highway links communities across PNG

Prime Minister James Marape says his decision to travel by road from Port Moresby through Gulf, Lae, Goroka, Simbu, Jiwaka and into Mt Hagen was deliberate-to see first hand how infrastructure is connecting the country and to challenge Papua New Guineans to become more productive.

Arriving in Mt Hagen on Thursday evening with his convoy, Mr Marape said the journey along the newly cut Pangu Highway comes as the country prepares to celebrate its 51st Independence Day on September 16.

“We are seven days away from Independence, and this country must be united through infrastructure. National unity must be seen through the roads that connect our people,” Marape said.

He said the journey was also meant to show that every Papua New Guinean has a role in building the country's future.

“Everyone in this country must be productive. We must work and contribute so that we can build this country together as one,” he said.

Marape said travelling along the newly cut road also gave him and his team an opportunity to see first-hand how government funding, decisions and development efforts are being translated into infrastructure on the ground.

“We have made the decisions, we have provided the funding and we have put the effort into these roads. We also need to come and see for ourselves how that investment is being put to good use,” the Prime Minister said.

He said physically travelling the route gave him a clearer understanding of the condition of the roads, the progress of infrastructure and the challenges faced by communities.

The Prime Minister also strongly encouraged Papua New Guineans to work hard, utilise their land and make productive use of their time.

“Work hard. Toil your land. Make good use of your land and your time. You have to participate in the economy so that other people, especially those in remote areas, can also benefit from services,” Marape stressed.

The prime minister said national development could not depend entirely on the government.

“Government cannot do everything. Our people also have to participate in commercial activity on their land,” he stated.

Mr Marape encouraged people from the Highlands to the coastal areas to produce commodities such as coffee, cocoa, copra, and other agricultural products.

“Plant coffee, plant cocoa, produce copra and other commodities. The government has markets and will continue to assist with markets, but our people must produce,” he encouraged.

He said PNG has the potential to collectively help the government repay debts taken to develop roads, infrastructure and public services if people actively participate in the economy.

“If every person, from the Highlands to the coast, participates in commercial activity, we can collectively help our government to repay the debts taken to build these services and infrastructure,” Mr. Marape said.

He stressed that the ultimate objective was to ensure that development and economic opportunities reach people even in remote areas.

“When our people participate in the economy, we can create more opportunities for services to reach everyone, including our people in the remote areas,” he said.

As Papua New Guinea prepares to mark its 51st Independence anniversary, the prime minister's message is that roads alone will not develop the country - Papua New Guineans must use those roads, their land and their resources to produce, trade and grow the national economy.