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Clean Water for Nasuapum Village After 40-Years

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Clean Water

Nasuapum Primary School and its surrounding villages in Wampar LLG has had no access to clean water supply for more than four decades.

However, this is coming to an end with a groundbreaking ceremony for the clean water project at Nasuapum Primary School.

This water project is predicted to not only provide access to clean water for the students at Nasuapum Village, but will extend to benefit nearby villages in the area.

The water service once completed is expected to last for over 50 years, relieving the need to find clean water and providing a sustainable solution to the long-standing water crisis.

The initiative is implemented by the Huon Gulf District Development Authority (DDA), headed by the DDA Chairman and Huon Gulf MP, and Minister for Community Development Jason Peter, in approving K1 million for Water and Sanitation Projects for Schools and Villages across Huon Gulf District. The funding will ensure that more schools and villages in the district will have access to clean water in the future.

Wampar was chosen as the location for this crucial project due to its history of water scarcity since the establishment of the villages.

The pilot projects for the water and sanitation program will focus on Nasuapum Primary School in Ward 16 and Bobong Elementary School in Ward 18. With a total of K10 Million already submitted to the National Planning, additional funding is expected to be granted under the Water and Sanitation (WASH) program for the continuous development of this project.

The water crisis in Nasuapum Primary School and its surrounding villages has had a severe impact on the daily lives of the residents. Lack of access to clean water has affected the health and wellbeing of the community, especially the children attending the school. With the implementation of this water project, the community will finally have access to safe and clean water, leading to improved health, hygiene, and overall quality of life.
Huon Gulf District Development Authority said that the the water project is a significant milestone that marks the beginning of a brighter future for Wampar and the Huon Gulf district.

The locals of Nasuapum village and the Nasuapum Primary School Administration commended the Huon Gulf MP and DDA for the water project.

According to Huon Gulf DDA, they hope the project will serve as an example for other districts across Papua New Guinea to prioritize water and sanitation issues and ensure that every citizen has access to this basic necessity.

As the Nasuapum Primary School and its surrounding villages celebrate the end of their long-standing water crisis, the entire community was filled with hope and gratitude. The DDA said the water project was not just a solution for the present but a promise for a brighter and healthier future.

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Lae-Kabwum Road Launching Preparation

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Lae Kabwum Road

Kabwum District Administrator, Ezekiel Nigo has called on the locals of Kabwum District to put their political differences aside and focus on building the new road that would link four Districts, Tewai-Siassi, Kabwum, Finschhafen and Naweab to Morobe’s Capital City, Lae.

The Lae-Kabwum Road is a priority project of the Morobe Provincial Government. The road will start from Hobu to Samanzing of Nawaeb District and continues to the Sarawaget Range and over to Indagen Village of Komba LLG in Kabwum District.

A trekker with a GPS Device

According to the Provincial Support Improvement Program Coordinator and Lae-Kabwum Road Committee Secretary, Sebastian Singery, 34 trekkers from Nabak in Nawaeb District, Burum in Finschhafen District, and Indagen in Kabwum District left Lae and walked to Indagen to carry out the feasibility study.

PSIP Coordinator, Sebastian Singery

The trekkers were transported by vehicles to Suguza gap in the Nabak LLG of Nawaeb District. They then took a hike up to Samanzing village, overnight and crossed the Sarawaget Range with GPS devices for the Lae-Kabwum Road.
They were then joined by the Lae-Kabwum Road Committee and Kabwum District Administrator, Ezikiel Nigo last weekend.

Kabwum District Administrator, Ezikiel Nigo

“Transportation into Kabwum is very challenging. The people travel by sea on cargo and passenger boat and small out board motors. Just last month, around 9 to 10 small out-board motor sunk. It’s quite risky. Another mode of transport used is by the third level airline. Currently, there’s only one third level airline company operating and the cost is so high.” said Singery.

The PSIP Coordinator said the Morobe Provincial Government had to charter a chopper to transport the Road Committee to Indagen last weekend because the only third level airline company wasn’t operating.

“We couldn’t make it on the small plane so we had to hire the chopper. And a trip from Lae to Indagen in Kabwum District and back cost us almost K25 thousand.” said Singery.

The Morobe Provincial Government gave K1 million for the preparation of the road project including the launching that would take place in Indagen this Thursday, (31st September 2023). The Provincial Government has allocated another K2 million for the Lae-Kabwum Road, but that is yet to be received.

The Lae-Kabwum Road Project is one of Morobe’s biggest economic corridors and will bring in government services into the rural population of the FISIKA region.

Morobe’s Members of Parliament including Finschhafen MP and National Planning Minister, Renbo Paita, Lae MP, Tewai-Siassi MP and Housing Minister, Kobby Bomareo and Deputy Prime Minister, John Rosso were invited to attend the launching.

Prime Minister, James Marape was also given an invitation to attend following a commitment of K100 million he made in 2019 during the 100 Year Anniversary Celebration of the Lutheran Church.

According to the Lae-Kabwum Road Committee, they are still waiting for the Prime Minister’s commitment.

Meanwhile, the committee called on the Prime Minister to attend and fulfill his commitment.

Related: https://insidepng.com/appeal-on-lae-kabwum-road-project/

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Appeal on Lae-Kabwum Road Project

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Lae-Kabwung Road Committee

A call has been made to Planning Minister and Finschhafen MP, Renbo Paita, Deputy Prime Minister.and Member for Lae, John Rosso and the Prime Minister, James Marape to attend the launching of the Lae-Kabwum Road Project on the 31st of August 2023.

The call by a committee of Lae-Kabwum Road Project wants to see the road connect five electorates and link up more than two hundred thousand people.

Districts included in this project are Kabwum, Finschhafen, Tewai-Siassi, Nawaeb and Lae Open.

The FISIKA Region has a high quality of agricultural products including coffee, livestock and fresh produce of immense economic value.

Committee Chairman Robert Ayang said the road was supposed to be built years back.

“The link has been missing for 137 years since the first Lutheran missionaries arrival in the country and through Morobe. There is currently no road. The only mode of transport used is air by the third level airline,” said Ayang.

The construction of the Lae, Finschhafen, Sialum and Wasu or the FISIKA road will open doors for major economic developments for Morobe.

A team of engineers from the Morobe Provincial Government are in Kawbum District with GPS machines, funded by the Morobe Provincial Government.

Lae-Kabwum Road Project

Mr. Ayang said, the team covered Burum-Kuwat in Finschaffen District and are now in Kawbum District. Ayang also confirmed that walking is another mode people use, especially from Lae to Indagen in Kabwum and as further to Wasu in Tewai-Siassi District. Mr. Ayang, said the mode of walking has caused a lot of lives due to no road. This includes those that lost their lives when walking from Lae to Indagen in Komba LLG, Kawbwum to attend the 100 Year Anniversary Celebration of the Lutheran Church in 2019.

The committee had already sent invites to the Morobe MPs and the Prime Minister to attend the launching in Indagen, Kabwum District. They’ve called on their Leaders and the Prime Minister to accept the invite and attend the launching. Chairman Ayang said, “In 2019, the Prime Minister, James Marape went to Indagen village to celebrate the 100 Year Anniversary Celebration with the people of Kabwum and made a commitment of K100 million.” Ayang said the PM’s commitment follows an act dramatized by the locals on how people died when walking from Lae to Indagen to celebrate the 100 Year Anniversary Celebration of the Lutheran Church. Ayang said, “To date, nothing has been done concerning the Prime Minister’s commitment, the people of FISIKA Region are still waiting.”

Committee Chairman Robert Ayang on the commitments made by Prime Minister James Marape.

Meanwhile, the Secretary of the Lae-Kabwum Road Project, Sebastian Singery said the office of National Planning has a copy of the Project concept through a submission made by the Provincial Support Improvement Program(PSIP) office in 2021. He said eight districts of Morobe have roads linking to Lae, except for Kabwum and Tewai-Siassi District. Singery called on the MPs and the LLG leaders of the FISIKA Region to unite and work together with the committee for in order to connect the missing link that would benefit the people of FISIKA.

Recent: https://insidepng.com/court-declares-jason-peter-huon-gulf-mp/

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Health

Rural Communities in Morobe to Benefit from WaSH and Solar

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More than 12,000 people across 20 communities in Morobe Province now have better health standards and livelihood opportunities, with the official opening of new solar systems and water, sanitation and hygiene (WaSH) facilities.

The new WaSH facilities in 20 communities across the districts of Finschhafen, Markham, Tewai-Siassi, Huon, Bulolo and Nawaeb include gravity-fed water supply for the communities, 80 laundry and shower areas, and 80 latrines, separated for males and females.

In partnership with the Environmental Health Development Agency, a PGK3.9 million grant through Incentive Fund helped to construct the new facilities.

The grant funded 310 kitchens and stand taps at 17 schools, 7 health posts and 28 churches. The new facilities have already had an impact on community health, with waterborne diseases reduced by over 60 per cent.

“Before this project, we had no reliable access to water,” said Mr Allan Siwas, WaSH Committee Chairman and Kuruwe Village leader.

“Now, we can be clean and healthy all the time and have so many options for new businesses and for our children to be safe in school. We are so grateful to the Government of Australia for these new facilities.”

Local communities supplied labour and transport for the projects, ensuring the skills and understanding for the maintenance of the infrastructure are kept close to the projects.

Vulnerable and marginalised members of the community were also engaged throughout both design and construction, building their skills and livelihood opportunities.

“The strong community engagement model used by this project serves as a model for other projects. With the support of the PNG-Australia Partnership, we have delivered training in sanitation and livelihoods, including food security, to community members,” said Ms Matilda Kuahen, EHDA’s WaSH Manager

Australian High Commissioner to PNG, His Excellency Jon Philp joined the community in Nasing, Finschhafen District, Morobe Province at the opening ceremony.

“I was hugely impressed at the contributions and commitment from the participating communities across Morobe, and I am confident the benefits of these new facilities will be felt for years to come,” said High Commissioner Philp.

The provision of solar lighting at the WaSH stations also improves the accessibility of the infrastructure leading to improved personal hygiene, safety, and health outcomes.

The PNG-Australia Partnership is supporting reliable, safe WaSH and solar facilities for communities all over PNG, including ensuring women and girls have privacy and security when using facilities or collecting water.

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