Friday 29th August, 2025
Prime Minister Hon. James Marape on Friday 29th August, officially opened the new Kotidanga road in Gulf Province, saying the project will transform the lives of rural communities by creating economic opportunities through farming, tourism and resource development.
For the first time, people can now drive from Menyamya in Morobe Province into Kotidanga in Gulf, ending decades of isolation.
“When I visited nearby Kaintiba in 2020, I told our people that by 2025, we would build a road into this long-forgotten part of the country. Today, I am proud to say that Kotidanga is finally connected,” PM Marape said.
The Prime Minister stressed that the new roads are “economic corridors” designed to open up opportunities.
“Kotidanga and Menyamya are rich coffee-growing areas. With this road, farmers can get more coffee to international markets and put more money into their families’ hands,” he said.
He added that the road also unlocks eco-tourism potential and access to oil and gas exploration sites, while the Cloudy Bay–Alotau road section will support offshore projects currently being developed in the Gulf of Papua.
“This is why Connect PNG is more than just building roads, every kilometre we build gives our people a chance to join the modern economy,” Marape said.
The Prime Minister on Friday visited Kotidanga to meet with locals and see the impact of the new road first-hand.
On Saturday, he travelled by convoy along the Magi Highway and continued all the way to Alotau in Milne Bay Province, demonstrating his government’s commitment to linking towns, districts and provinces through the national road network.
“Step by step, kilometre by kilometre, we are connecting the unconnected and reaching the unreached. This is how we build a stronger and more inclusive Papua New Guinea,” PM Marape said.