Handover Ceremony of two steel bridges at Wapenamanda in Enga
2023/3/3
Ribbon cut by Ambassador Watanabe and Governor Ipatas
Taiya Bridge, 39 meters long
Observation of a bridge with recipient community people
On 9th February, 2023, Ambassador Watanabe attended a ceremony to hand over two bridges (total about 333 million kina, equivalent about 1 billion yen) to communities of Wapenamanda in Enga together with Governor Sir Peter Ipatas. The bridges were built through a scheme of Grant Assistance for Grassroots Human Security Projects.
Both Taiya Bridge and Topak Bridge were originally constructed around 1948, but the main parts of the bridges were washed away by a flood around 1970. The construction of new Taiya Bridge (4.1 meters wide and 39 meters long) has dramatically improved the safety and traffic conditions of the local community by enabling approximately 30,000 residents of Yogos and its 30 neighbouring villages to cross the Taiya River safely and smoothly. Also new Topak Bridge (3.3 m wide and 33 m long) helps 20,000 residents of Imagapos and 10 neighbouring villages in Wapenanda.
Ambassador Watanabe said “those projects are in line with the phrase of the PNG Government's PNG Vision 2050, "Supporting the people through the enhancement of the national road transport network" and the Connect PNG policy”.
This event was carried out as a part of "the press tour" under which journalists from a total of four newspaper and TV station companies joined some ceremonies and site visits attended by Ambassador Watanabe. Using the opportunity, the journalists interviewed the people of Wapenamanda who attended the ceremony and site-observation.
Both Taiya Bridge and Topak Bridge were originally constructed around 1948, but the main parts of the bridges were washed away by a flood around 1970. The construction of new Taiya Bridge (4.1 meters wide and 39 meters long) has dramatically improved the safety and traffic conditions of the local community by enabling approximately 30,000 residents of Yogos and its 30 neighbouring villages to cross the Taiya River safely and smoothly. Also new Topak Bridge (3.3 m wide and 33 m long) helps 20,000 residents of Imagapos and 10 neighbouring villages in Wapenanda.
Ambassador Watanabe said “those projects are in line with the phrase of the PNG Government's PNG Vision 2050, "Supporting the people through the enhancement of the national road transport network" and the Connect PNG policy”.
This event was carried out as a part of "the press tour" under which journalists from a total of four newspaper and TV station companies joined some ceremonies and site visits attended by Ambassador Watanabe. Using the opportunity, the journalists interviewed the people of Wapenamanda who attended the ceremony and site-observation.