Nawaeb HQ to be reconnected after Busu bridge opening

The newly-opened Wenge-Brutten bridge will provide critical access to local communities in Boana, Morobe (Image: NBC News)

Road access to the Nawaeb headquarters in Morobe is now open following the official commissioning of the new 72-metre Wenge-Brutten Bridge last Friday.

The Bailey structure, built over the Busu River, will serve as a vital lifeline for the people of Boana and surrounding villages.

This is the fourth bridge to be constructed at the location after the previous structure was washed away by floods in October 2023.

Outgoing Morobe administrator Max Brutten officiated at the opening and acknowledged the key leaders who contributed to funding and delivering the project.

Brutten recalled inspecting the damaged site shortly after the 2023 collapse and raising the urgency with former governor, the late Luther Wenge.

“I drove up here to see the bridge’s condition and was worried for the people of Boana,” Brutten said.

“I pushed the late governor to make sure reconstruction was prioritised.“

"Following that, the Morobe provincial government allocated K5 million from the Wafi-Golpu Infrastructure Development Grant, my administration put in another K5 million, and Governor Rainbo Paita approved K4.5 million to refurbish the road access leading to the bridge.”

Late Luther Wenge's son, Mathew, cuts ribbon to officially open the Wenge-Brutten bridge, formely known as Bonjok bridge (Image: NBC News)

Nawaeb district administrator Budz Botike welcomed the new bridge, but appealed for the main access road to the district headquarters to be sealed.

“Nawaeb contributes immensely to the country’s economy through high-quality coffee,” Botike said.

“It would be better if Governor Paita could follow up on our submissions to Waigani so our people can have proper road access.”

Morobe Governor Rainbo Paita assured local leaders that the provincial government would address the request.

“We will not wait for the National Government; we will move ahead to build our own roads,” Paita said.

“I direct our administrator and his team to identify funds under the Provincial Support Infrastructure Program to seal this road from the junction all the way to Boana headquarters.”

To honor the late former governor, Paita invited his son, Mathew Wenge, to cut the ribbon to officially open the bridge.

“Out of respect for our late governor, I ask my brother Mathew to perform the ribbon cutting,” Paita said.

The bridge was constructed over seven months by an Asian contractor and is engineered to last between 50 and 100 years.