Gulf Province set for transformation as government announces key infrastructure projects

 Good news for the people of Kerema and Gulf Province.

The government led by Prime Minister James Marape is serious about turning the province into a hub of business, trade and host of major oil and gas projects.

Marape spent two the weekend in Gulf Province launching the Ihu Special Economic Zone project (ISEZ) at Ihu and spent a day in Kerema where he announced several important infrastructure projects.

The ISEZ is a K100 million project that is aimed at creating thousands of jobs and generating billions of monies to the government coffers.

The National Executive Council has approved monies for this project to be managed by a private company.

Project director Peter KenGemar has been promoting this project internationally-they are hoping that reduced taxes and other business incentives will lure potential investors who will transform Ihu and Gulf a lot.

After about 20 years the Ihu airstrip was also launched during James Marape's visit and Transport Minister William Samb who is the Goilala MP was also there.

In Kerema, Marape urged the people who are in Port Moresby or anywhere else to return to Kerema.

He said the government was allocating K100 million for the upgrade and resealing of the Hiritano Highway.

From this K100 million, K70 million will be loaned from the World Bank and K30 million would be from the government.

Marape said Gulf hosts some mega project in oil and gas like the Papua LNG, Pasca offshore gas and now the proposed ISEZ project.

The road would certainly help develop these projects and he has urged the people to return and venture into fishery, farming and get into SME businesses.

He said the Kerema rugby league field now turned into a market for betel nut vendors would be developed with a K100,000 from the National Gaming Control Board (NGCB).

Marape said a K20,000 would go to support the basketball competition.

The bare roads in Kerema town would be sealed with a K 5 million funding.

 

Prime Minister Marape told hundreds of people who gathered in Kerema that the Hiritano Highway was a major road that connected Gulf and Central with NCD.

 

“The National Government will support many of the upcoming resource projects like Papua LNG and Pasca, and others like the Ihu Special Economic Zone in the Gulf province,” he said.

 

 

 “By this time next year, the contractors will be working on upgrading and reconstructing work on upgrading the last stretch of the highway that has deteriorated and not sealed into Kerema,’’ he said.

“You are lucky people as some of you live along the corridors of the major Hiritano Highway linking Kerema to Malalaua, and into the vast Central Province,” Marape said.

 

“Both provinces have valuable resources like land and fisheries and marine resources.

 

“I appeal to you people to allow any road programmes and projects to flow through, as when there is a road, money will flow and other services will trickle down to the people.

 

“We appeal to you (Gulf people living in other provinces) to return home as the National Government will work and partner with your provincial government to create opportunities for you when the Hiritano Highway and Kerema Town roads are fixed.”

 

 Gulf Province is set to be transformed.