Communities in Kulungere of Evon Gore area in Sinivit Local Level Government (LLG), Pomio District, of East New Britain province, now have improved road access to essential public services and market access.

Thank you to the National Government, supported by the World Bank through the PNG Agriculture Commercialization and Diversification (PACD) Cocoa Project.

The 4km road was officially opened on Monday 26th of January 2026 by the East New Britain Governor Michael Marum, Cocoa Board of PNG Chief Executive Officer (CEO) Jesse Tukup Anjen, and World Bank Division Director of Papua New Guinea, Solomon Islands and Vanuatu Han Fraeters.

Road contract was awarded to Kokopo Plant Hire Ltd in February 2025 and was completed last December for a contract value of K5.7 million.

Kulungere feeder road serves more than 2,000 people of the Upper Evon and Kulungere Communities.

Of these, almost 250 households benefited from the PPAP Project under the Growers Partnership under Call 1.

Senior Engineer Raymond Paulias highlighted key components of the rehabilitation works.

He said the scope of works involved rehabilitation the existing dilapidated road to all weather condition to ease market access constraints for the Cocoa growing community.

The community had struggled for many decades without this road access and is extremely pleased with the road and World Bank for providing loan finance to the National Government for it to be rehabilitated.

The works included the installation of the following:

·     2 Concrete Causeway Crossings over 2 existing rivers.

·     3Km of Longitudinal roadside Lined Drains.

·     18 No. Cross Drainage Culverts.

·     800m of 150mm depth x 3m wide concrete pavement on critical steep sections; and

·     200mm depth of road base pavement layer.

“The rehabilitated road now enables vehicle access to the community not only for cocoa market access but also for improved access to education and medical facilities- particularly for medical emergencies,” noted Mr. Paulias.

“It opens more economic opportunities, as evident with locals erecting new trade stores and kiosks along the road since works commenced.”

Meanwhile, CEO Jesse Tukup Anjen, encouraged communities to protect the new road and continue expanding cocoa production.

He urged the communities to embrace this road, look after it and do maintenance so that the road will last long.

He thanked the World Bank and the National government for believing in these partnerships and the continuous working collaborations and now they are here to see the money being materialized and our people get the direct benefit.

Furthermore, Governor Marum echoed similar sentiments, thanking the World Bank and National Government for their partnership in ensuring local farmers can bring produce to market more efficiently.

The Kulungere Road is one of three Agriculture Roads rehabilitated under the Component 2 - Agriculture Roads of the PACD Cocoa Project.