The National Government’s Connect PNG Program has received a sizable allocation in the 2024 National Budget, showing the government’s focus on continuing to create road links to bridge service and development to the people in parts of the country. The Treasurer, Mr. Ian Ling Stuckey said the allocation comes under the Capital Budget of K10.7 billion, which in itself is the largest in the history of National Budgets in Papua New Guinea (PNG). “The largest part of the Capital Budget is our own funded Public Investment Program, the PIP budget,” said the Treasurer. It is under this PIP budget that the funding allocation for the Connect PNG program is made. “The Marape- Rosso Government is the infrastructure government, providing funding for our historic PNG Connect Program, including K905 million for missing links and K100 million in arrears- clear funding of over K1 billion.” Touching on the successes of the program so for, Mr. Ling Stuckey said across PNG the people are now seeing the benefits of these massive infrastructure developments, the recent one being the new road link created to the Telefomin district in the West Sepik province. “Major travel time savings and massive reduction in vehicle operating cost, by the trucking companies and PMV operators.” He said this is a clear example of how good capital investments can reduce business cost and this should be passed on as lower costs to consumers, helping fight cost of living. The Connect PNG Program is the government strategy aimed to foster sustainable socioeconomic development and national unity, by enhancing the key economic road transport network connectivity across the Momase, Highlands, Southern, and New Guinea Islands regions over the next two decades.