BY PEARSON KOLO
MANY rural districts and Local Level Government areas in the country still need basic services at their door steps.
The current O’Neill/Deon Government has seen this as has announced and prioritized the delivery of basic services to rural districts and has allocated K500, 000 to each LLG in the country for development purposes.
THE National Government’s aim and goal to provide all basic government services to communities in rural districts of the country is raising great expectations by most of the people in rural areas where many are yet to see a government service like health center or school built in their areas.
And with the allocation of K500, 000 to all the Local Level Government (LLG) in the country, many people in rural communities are looking forward and preparing for a change.
This is exactly what a community of more than 5000 population situated on the eastern terrains of Western Highlands province are doing.
These people who are from Rolna located on a mountain plain bordering Ruti cattle range, Jimi and Tiki on the Baiyer River said they were building a 15 kilometer road using their hands to open up their community to the outside world.
But most importantly, they want the road to bring health centers, schools and other necessary government services into their area which has not had road accessing it since independence.
The people have carved the road through a jungle terrain across several rivers and into their area. The hunger shown by the people of Rolna and Tiki in the Muglamb LLG of Dei District in the Western Highlands Province shows the urge by the people to have the basic necessary government services in their area.
A councilor in the area, Caspar Pange who briefed the daily struggles of the people of Rolna said their children were sent away to stay with other people to go to the nearest schools.
“And carrying sick patients across our backs and walking for almost half a day over mountains, across river s and along our bush track is an everyday norm,” Council Pange said.
MANY rural districts and Local Level Government areas in the country still need basic services at their door steps.
The current O’Neill/Deon Government has seen this as has announced and prioritized the delivery of basic services to rural districts and has allocated K500, 000 to each LLG in the country for development purposes.
THE National Government’s aim and goal to provide all basic government services to communities in rural districts of the country is raising great expectations by most of the people in rural areas where many are yet to see a government service like health center or school built in their areas.
And with the allocation of K500, 000 to all the Local Level Government (LLG) in the country, many people in rural communities are looking forward and preparing for a change.
This is exactly what a community of more than 5000 population situated on the eastern terrains of Western Highlands province are doing.
These people who are from Rolna located on a mountain plain bordering Ruti cattle range, Jimi and Tiki on the Baiyer River said they were building a 15 kilometer road using their hands to open up their community to the outside world.
But most importantly, they want the road to bring health centers, schools and other necessary government services into their area which has not had road accessing it since independence.
The people have carved the road through a jungle terrain across several rivers and into their area. The hunger shown by the people of Rolna and Tiki in the Muglamb LLG of Dei District in the Western Highlands Province shows the urge by the people to have the basic necessary government services in their area.
A councilor in the area, Caspar Pange who briefed the daily struggles of the people of Rolna said their children were sent away to stay with other people to go to the nearest schools.
“And carrying sick patients across our backs and walking for almost half a day over mountains, across river s and along our bush track is an everyday norm,” Council Pange said.
The councilor said the basic health service and a school for their children had
not been established in their area since independence but wanted these to be
thing of the past.
“We want these services to come into our area following this road,” Cr Pange said.
These people’s enthusiasm for services was brought nearer when their LLG President William Noki visited them in the jungles where they are building the road.
President Noki told the people that the current Government’s allocation of K500, 000 for each LLG in the country can achieve many things for the LLGs and its people.
He committed K20, 000 to the people of Rolna as sweat equity but told them that they would achieve what they desire.
“The allocation of K500, 000 to each LLGs by the current O’Neill/Deon Government is a way forward for the development of LLGs in the country,” President Noki said.
“This money when used wisely will achieve the construction of schools, health centers and other much needed services,” Noki said.
He acknowledged the desire shown by the people of Rolna and Tiki to have basic services established in their areas.
“We want these services to come into our area following this road,” Cr Pange said.
These people’s enthusiasm for services was brought nearer when their LLG President William Noki visited them in the jungles where they are building the road.
President Noki told the people that the current Government’s allocation of K500, 000 for each LLG in the country can achieve many things for the LLGs and its people.
He committed K20, 000 to the people of Rolna as sweat equity but told them that they would achieve what they desire.
“The allocation of K500, 000 to each LLGs by the current O’Neill/Deon Government is a way forward for the development of LLGs in the country,” President Noki said.
“This money when used wisely will achieve the construction of schools, health centers and other much needed services,” Noki said.
He acknowledged the desire shown by the people of Rolna and Tiki to have basic services established in their areas.
One very important thing President Noki told his people related to the
accountable and transparent use of the LLG funds to attain the desired services.
That should be the concern for all LLGs throughout the country at this time where every district in the country is now preparing for the Local Level Government elections and the election of a council president.
And with the current trend of preparation by intending candidates for the Local level Government President Election, it will not be the same as past LLG elections.
Many public servants and many other people who have in the past thought of councilor and council presidents as offices belonging to the people back in the villages and districts are preparing to contest.
The sudden rise in interest of many people to contest the LLG President seat is attributed to the allocation of K500, 000 by the current O’Neill/Deon government for development purposes.
That should be the concern for all LLGs throughout the country at this time where every district in the country is now preparing for the Local Level Government elections and the election of a council president.
And with the current trend of preparation by intending candidates for the Local level Government President Election, it will not be the same as past LLG elections.
Many public servants and many other people who have in the past thought of councilor and council presidents as offices belonging to the people back in the villages and districts are preparing to contest.
The sudden rise in interest of many people to contest the LLG President seat is attributed to the allocation of K500, 000 by the current O’Neill/Deon government for development purposes.
People in many rural parts of Papua New Guinea have the desire to have the basic
government services at the door steps.
They want health centers, schools for their children and other basic services close to them within their communities. But that will depend on the type of leadership of their elected MPs and Councilors who represent the people.
The people of Rolna and Tiki said they wanted the government services to follow the road into their doorsteps.
The road which will link Rolna with Tiki in the Dei district and into the provincial capital Mt Hagen is carved through a jungle terrain and across one major river.
The new road will also link parts of Jimi including the Jimi timber project in the Jiwaka Province, Kurunga gold and Ruti in the far end of Baiyer River.
It is time now that people in rural districts in the country have to come out and show to the Government that they are prepared to take services into their area. Like the people of Rolna, people must help themselves for the government to help them.
They want health centers, schools for their children and other basic services close to them within their communities. But that will depend on the type of leadership of their elected MPs and Councilors who represent the people.
The people of Rolna and Tiki said they wanted the government services to follow the road into their doorsteps.
The road which will link Rolna with Tiki in the Dei district and into the provincial capital Mt Hagen is carved through a jungle terrain and across one major river.
The new road will also link parts of Jimi including the Jimi timber project in the Jiwaka Province, Kurunga gold and Ruti in the far end of Baiyer River.
It is time now that people in rural districts in the country have to come out and show to the Government that they are prepared to take services into their area. Like the people of Rolna, people must help themselves for the government to help them.
No comments:
Post a Comment