The Investment in the Nation's infrastructure including the road network, energy, communications, water and sanitation; and ports, directly impacts the productivity and growth of the economy. Connect PNG brings the infrastructure development plans for the SOEs and State Agencies responsible for infrastructure development and maintenance into fore to support the government's drive to create a sustainable economy through pursuing a broad - based economic growth strategy.
The Connect PNG Infrastructure Development is characterized by a multi-modal infrastructure development approach to support the expansion and connectivity of the Economic Corridor Development (EDC) concept under the PNG’s 2010 – 2030 Strategic Plan. The Marape/Steven government policy drive is to ensure that these Economic Development Corridors are not only developed, but importantly, connected to enhanced greater participation and growth that will enable timely realization PNG becoming a middle level income nation by 2050. Based on the direction to pursue an integrated broad-based economic development policy outcomes, connectivity is essential through an integrated land, sea, air transport facilities and infrastructure and through the electricity grid, water and sanitation, telecommunication and broadband Internet.
PNG's roads network is the backbone of the country's transport system catering for the movement of 85% of passenger and freight as It Is the cheapest and convenient mode of transportation in the country. The majority of the rural population depend on roads more than any other form of transportation. Socio-economic development of the country will depend very much on the condition and performance of the country's road networks. This Is currently facilitated by 9,000km of national roads, 21 ,000km of sub-national roads, and 2,700 cross drainage structures of various designs and sizes.
However, due to decades of lack of proper road management policies and chronic underfunding problems, road maintenance and development and construction of new roads have always been done on an ad hock basis. This has resulted in a build-up of deferred maintenance and aging stock of rundown road transport infrastructure assets amounting to a gross replacement cost of more than K45 billion. Under the current debilitated conditions regime, road infrastructure transportation assets are not only inefficient but also costly to the asset owners (State through the Department of Works), transport service providers such as haulers and expensive to the road users as the service providers pass on the cost of operating on debilitated condition roads.
This Policy Agenda comprises Rehabilitation and Reconstruction of the Debilitated Sections of the existing road networks due to chronic maintenance negligence by previous governments and then construct the Missing Link Road Sections. The Policy Vehicle through which the Marape-Basil Government Intends to achieve this Policy Agenda for 100% Road Connectivity for PNG by 2040 Is through It's signature policy of Connect Road infrastructure Development Programme 2020-2040 approved In 2020. This Is a 20-year Programme for K20 billion that provides a strategic pathway of implementing the National Economic Corridor Development Plan that will connect services and economic opportunities for over 6 million people by 2050.
The planned investments in key economic lifeline road networks under this signature policy will have tremendous Impact on all aspects of the country as a whole creating significant opportunities for socio-economic development. This level of development will substantially reduce poverty levels, raise the living standards of the majority of the population, generating Immense opportunities for employment and ultimately raising the country's Human Development Index and placing It as a middle-Income country.
In terms of the 20-year rolling programme for K20 billion, we will develop, rebuild and sustain 16,200km of strategic roads comprising 4200 km of Priority National Roads, 1800km of strategic missing link roads (new road constructions), 9000 km of provincial and district roads, and 2000 meters of bridges. These road infra[1]structure developments are aligned to all aspects of the economy generating both short term and long term benefits that have the potential to help PNG recover from the adverse impacts of COVID 19 pandemic.
Experience suggests that our rural population is highly sensitive to both agriculture productivity levels of main cash crops and transportation and logistics costs. Hence the integrated development of road accessibility and improved agriculture productivity is a key success factor in realizing the government’s desire to drive broad-based economic growth through enhancing agriculture.
Agriculture provides subsistence livelihood for 85% of the population living in rural PNG, and this population is growing at the rate of over 3% per year. Building of smaller holder farming with specialized enterprises to develop other agriculture products, such as beef, poultry, pork, vanilla, cocoa, rice, cashew nuts , etc similar to oil palm industries model in Kimbe, is a key objective to integrate our rural farmers into the commercial commodity value chain, leading to increased food security and exports and the growth of the rural economy.
It is envisaged that over 800,000 full-time equivalent rural jobs will be created by 2030 as a result of facilitating entrepreneurship and commercialization of agriculture, and more than two thirds of these jobs will be in the formal agriculture sector.
Projected Benefits and Impact from the Access to the Economic Road Connectivity
Access to economic road network will Increase investments and commercialization of agriculture with a projected potential GDP output to reach over K8 Billion,
Enable land reform for business, investment, SMEs and growth in enterprises with a projected GDP output of over K18 Billion;
Manufacturing to increase to over K700 Million
Fishery( 80% processed exports) increase to K370 Million
Tourism to increase to K680 Million
The net effect expected from fully implementing the Connect PNG Economic Road Transport Infrastructure Programme is the economic boost that will generate approximately 2 million jobs equivalent to 20% of the nation’s population in urban and rural areas by 2030. It is envisaged that over 800,000 full-time equivalent rural jobs will be created as a result of facilitating entrepreneurship and commercialization of agriculture and more than two thirds of these jobs will be in the formal agriculture sector. In urban areas, entrepreneurship facilitated SMEs will generate an estimated 49,000 informal jobs which will have a significant effect of reducing crimes in cities and towns.
Connect PNG will enable the unlocking of the land for agricultural development, investments, SMEs and village –based entrepreneurial activities. It is expected that formal land use would increase to 20% from the current 3% alienated land. Customary land reforms will be expedited to enable higher level of registration of land groups as Incorporated Land Groups (ILGs) with a target of 60% of landowners groups being registered
An engaged population in meaningful ventures results in decline in the committal of opportunities crimes. A direct expected outcome of Connect PNG driven economic growth strategy is significant increase in the engagement of the 18 – 30 year olds in the rural-based employment, informal sector employment and the formal employment. The net effect on the incidence of crime and number of crimes committed is expected to reduce by 55%.
Poor access to quality health services, facilities and specialist hospitals, aid posts, health centres and equipment underscore the state of health of the population. Connect PNG roll out development plan engages respective governments and PNG partners to fully integrate their respective plans and programs to drive achievement of health system targets. The net effect of this includes reduction of infant mortality rate to reduce to below 17 per 1000 from 57 per 1000; maternal mortality rate to reduce to below 100 per 100,000 from current 733 per 100,000; reduction in incidence of tuberculosis 150 per 100,000 people from current 475 per 100,000 people; and incidence of malarial to reduce to below 100 per 100,000 from current 246 per 100,000; and life expectancy to increase to 70 years from current 57 years.
The strategic goal for Education under the PNG Strategic Plan 2010 – 2030 seeks to achieve a better future by promoting and enhancing integral human development. The Connect PNG implementation plan embraces this goal as it plays a fundamental role in sustaining strong economic growth and social development. Education sector amassing wide internal and external resources is to maximize opportunities rendered by the Connect PNG infrastructure development plan, in respect to digital technology and road network access to provide quality education services. Access to basic education will increase admission rate to 70% from 12% for 6-14 age group; net enrolment to increase to 100% from 52.9%; youth literacy rate to 90% from 64%; number of teachers and support staff increase to 111,000 from 38,000.
The PNG SDP 2010 – 2030 goal for Higher Education is to develop higher skills needed for PNG’s prosperity with a world class tertiary education sector. Connect PNG Implementation Plan embraces this goal in amassing and integrating the sectoral development plans with Higher Education outputs for technical, tertiary and University graduates, targeting for over 300,000 tertiary educated skilled personnel by 2030
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