The Tapini Highway, a critical lifeline for the people of Goilala District of Central province, continues to deteriorate, raising serious concerns over access, safety, and government commitment to rural connectivity.
The road branches off the Hiritano Highway at Arapokina in Kairuku District and stretches approximately 118 kilometres through Kuni Local Level Government areas before reaching Tapini.
It cuts across some of the most challenging terrain in Central Province, winding through steep mountains, deep valleys, swampy sections, and crossing fast-flowing rivers that frequently become impassable during heavy rain.
Built shortly after Independence during the Chan Government by the late Louis Mona, the Tapini Highway has existed for over five decades with minimal upgrading.
Despite its age and importance, the road has seen little structural improvement, leaving it vulnerable to washouts, bridge failures, and long periods of isolation for communities that depend on it.
For the people of Goilala, the highway remains their main connection to essential services, markets, health care, education, and government administration.
Any disruption along the route effectively cuts off the district from the rest of Central Province.
In 2010, the road was officially declared a National Road by Dr Puka Temu during his tenure as Acting Prime Minister, a move that raised expectations for proper funding and long-term upgrading.
Since then, successive political leaders have raised the condition of the Tapini Highway in Parliament and other national forums, calling for sustained investment.
However, those calls have yet to translate into meaningful improvements on the ground.
Funding allocations have remained inconsistent and insufficient to elevate the road to the standard expected of a national highway.
During the current term of Parliament, renewed efforts were made to address the road’s worsening condition, with submissions directed to the Works and Highways Ministry.
Progress stalled following the passing of Works and Highways Minister, the late Solan Mirisim, leaving many of the proposed interventions unresolved.
K20 million was allocated for works on the road to be implemented by Construct Ocean Limited at roughly K5 million per year. While this funding covered only limited sections, it fell short of addressing the highway’s broader structural challenges.
With bridges washed away and large sections increasingly unsafe, local leaders are now calling on the National Government to provide emergency relief funding for immediate repairs, while also committing to long-term rehabilitation of the route.
There are also growing calls for clarity on the implementation of the Connect PNG program in Central Province. Leaders are urging the government to clearly state which roads qualify for funding under the program and how Goilala’s road network fits into national connectivity plans.
Goilala District currently relies on three main access roads:
1. The Tapini Road, which services Tapini and Guari LLGs and is planned to extend toward Wau-Waria.
2. Tolukuma Road, already connected through support from Tolukuma Minerals and the Mineral Resources Authority.
3. Duby Road, which remains under construction and is yet to connect Woitape LLG.
Beyond these, several feeder roads are needed to link remote communities across the district.
However, funding constraints have slowed progress, limiting access across provincial borders stretching from Kerema in Gulf Province, through Central and Morobe, to Sohe in Oro Province across the Owen Stanley Range.
Infrastructure development, particularly roads, remains one of the most effective ways for governments to improve service delivery and economic participation in rural districts.
Without reliable road access, entire communities remain locked out of development opportunities.
Local leaders are now appealing to the Central Provincial Administration to fully exercise its mandated responsibilities, ensuring all arms of government are actively delivering services at the ward, LLG, and district levels.
The condition of the Tapini Highway, they say, is not just a road issue but it is a test of whether national development commitments reach the people who need them most.
