Road infrastructures are vital for both service and development to reach the people, and for the residents of the city of Kokopo in East New Britain (ENB) province, they can expect just that with a new road upgrade project underway. This road project is the K221 million, 17km Tokua-Kokopo four-lane road construction which was launched by Prime Minister (PM) James Marape on Wednesday, July 10th. He said this long-awaited project is part of the ‘Connect PNG’ programme focused on building economic corridors for the benefit of the people. “By enhancing connectivity, this project can potentially boost local commerce, improve transportation efficiency, and contribute to the overall economic growth of the province and region, as a whole,” Prime Minister Marape said. The Connect PNG programme aims to comprehensively enhance the nation's infrastructure through a coordinated, multi-modal approach. This ensures that various infrastructure components—be it roads, airports, wharves, schools, hospitals, and agricultural facilities—are developed at the same time to create an integrated and efficient network. “Infrastructure projects like these often bring a range of benefits, including improved access to services, job creation, and enhanced opportunities for business and tourism,” Marape said. “As highlighted by the Minister for Works and Highways, Solan Mirisin, road projects are currently in progress across the country. More work is being planned and will commence soon.” “It is my privilege to officially launch the project for the design and construction of a new 12km, four-lane road between UMW Roundabout and Tokua Airport Carpark and the rehabilitation of the 5km existing four-lane road between Kokopo Secondary School and UMW Roundabout, he said.