On 30 March 2023, the Ombudsman Commission commenced investigations into the collapse of the Wara Hal Bridge in the North Waghi District of Jiwaka Province.
The bridge collapsed on 13 May 2022 after a heavy vehicle crossed it. The structure was later washed away by the Hal River. As a result, more than 60,000 people in the Nondugl area were isolated and were unable to access essential services such as health and education, or to transport garden produce to the main markets.
The Ombudsman Commission registered the complaint, assessed the matter and pursued it with the relevant authorities responsible for works and district development. The Commission brought the matter to the attention of Jiwaka Provincial Works and the North Wahgi District Development Authority.
As a result of the Ombudsman Commission’s intervention, Jiwaka Provincial Works and the North Wahgi District Development Authority reconstructed the bridge. The restored bridge was officially opened to the public in August 2025.