Port Moresby, Thursday 22 January 2026
The Department of Works and Highways formally welcomed Hon. Peter Tsiamalili Jnr as the new Minister with a dedication reception at the Department’s headquarters in Port Moresby today, as Secretary Gibson Holemba highlighted progress under the Connect PNG Program and called for focused reforms and delivery under the new leadership.
DoWH Secretary Mr. Gibson Holemba, in his address emphasized the weight of responsibility carried by the new minister.
“I extend to you our heartfelt congratulations on your appointment as Minister for Works and Highways, we receive you not as a political head, but also the national custodian of the country’s transport live line, economic corridors and infrastructure for the future,” he said.
Holemba said the ministry is one of the most strategic and development critical portfolio of the state.
“Roads, bridges, airport access, wharfs and national infrastructures are not merely assets, they are instruments of nation building, service delivery, unity, security and economic transformation. You are assuming a duty that will transform this country.”
He outlined the department’s priorities, including asset management, engineering standards, policy planning, and the Connect PNG Program.
“Maintenance has always been a neglect by the National Government, and many roads have been damaged. We must preserve the road asset, the 34,000km of national and subnational road network. The asset value of this road network is almost 40 billion kina,” Holemba stressed.
“This year’s budget is a clean budget, which is focused on defined programs. So in your leadership, I want you to help me manage and run that kind of budget framework, to help reduce unnecessary commitments that affect the core function of the department.”
He further highlighted progress in connecting rural provinces, including the upcoming Morobe-Gulf road opening with the Prime Minister in April. “That is the dream that Papua New Guineans want to see, connecting the unconnected, reaching the unreached, serving the unserved,” he said.
The new Minister for Works and Highways, Hon. Peter Tsiamalili Jr, in his official address to staff, partners, contractors, and consultants of the Department of Works and Highways, expressed humility and determination in his new role. He stated that he is “honoured and humbled to lead our country in this organization at this time,” and described 2026 as a year of reset, emphasizing the need for decisive reforms and a realignment of priorities to overcome challenges and strengthen the department’s effectiveness.
“We need to take stock and ensure that there is maintenance, and we do not carry anymore liabilities, it’s about repositioning ourselves better so our organization functions efficiently. This organization is the enabler of economic prosperity,” Minister Tsiamalili said.
“Roads and Bridges are not just infrastructures, they are truly the life line of our people, they are the difference between a mother reaching a clinic on time or not, they are the difference between a farmer getting produce to the market or watching it rot, they are the difference between a child attending school daily or dropping out, they are the difference between isolation and opportunity, this is why your work matters.”
The new Works and Highways Minister concluded with a call for accountability and resilience at the Department.
“We must build roads that last, bridges that stands, systems that protect public money, and a department that the nation can trust, we must connect PNG now to build our future. Every kina we waste is a road we fail to build.”