Mo’ove Bridge officially opened connecting West Coast of North Bougainville
A new 30-meter bailey bridge was officially opened last Friday to connect and serve the people of Siara Korepovi and the entire West Coast of Bougainville.
The Mo’ove Bridge was opened by the National Minister for Works and Highways Hon. Solen Mirism and the National Minister for Police and Regional Member for Bougainville Hon. Peter Tsiamalili Junior.
This 30-meters bailey bridge costs a total of K3.3million and was funded through the PSIP funds of the Regional Member for AROB and constructed by Raibro Construction Limited.
Speaking at the event, ABG Member for Selau Constituency Hon Paul Cheung described Mo’ove as a bridge that not only represents infrastructure but hope, access and progress to communities along the West Coast and a link to reach the unreachable, thanks to the Marape/Rosso Government.
“This bridge is more than just a lifeline – it connects us, not just physically but socially and economically,” Mr. Cheung said.
National Minister for Works and Highways Hon Solan Mirism commended the Raibro Construction Ltd for delivering quality infrastructure that will serve the people of Bougainville in the West Coast and looked forward to more such infrastructure be built.
“Marape/Rosso government has a vision for all of Papua New Guinea (PNG) to be connected by roads after 20 years through its Connect PNG Program and the Mo’ove Bridge is the first of many to come,” he said.
“I look after all the roads on Connect PNG Program and under Connect PNG Program, we build roads to where people are but also open doors for economic opportunities,” he said, adding that PNG Government has funded K400million on roads in Bougainville.
Regional Member for Bougainville and National Minister for Police Hon Peter Tsiamalili Junior, also acknowledged the Marape/Rosso government for delivering such vital services for the people of Bougainville and called on the citizens of the West Coast to take ownership of the bridge and guard it well.
“My first and foremost responsibility is to make sure that quality of life for my people of Bougainville must be my number one priority and today my people of Selau, Mahari, Kunua, Kereaka it is a privilege to witness the opening of this first bridge in the West Coast – this is our bridge, look after it,” he said.
He thanked Minister Mirism for his leadership in the Ministry of Works and Highways for his push for development in underdeveloped areas of PNG. Tsiamalili further assured the Kereaka community that before the end of the year, the missing link connecting the West Coast will be addressed.
“Within this 50years of PNG independence, all bridges within the West Coast will be completed up to Koropovi. I am not biased, I am giving back your money through the taxes you pay and I start with West Coast and onto the rest of Bougainville,” he said.
The Mo’ove bridge project was designed and supervised by the National Department of Works and Highways through its office in Bougainville, supported by the ABG Department of Technical Services.
The National Minister for Works and Highways Hon Mirism announced that the Siara-Korepovi Road will soon be gazetted as a national highway, with paperwork currently underway for the construction and sealing of an additional 2.5 kilometres of road from Tonn to Chabai.
The celebration was witnessed by delegates from the National Department of Works and Highways, ABG Department of Technical Services, Selau Community Government Members, Chiefs, Bougainville Police Service, Raibro Construction Ltd and sub-contractors and the people of Selau, Mahari, Kunua and Kereaka.
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