Housing for Police at the Banz police station in Jiwaka, is in a very bad state.
Police personnel are living in run-down houses with leaking roofs and no proper sanitation. Police officers and their families are calling on authorities to address this situation.
Since the separation of Jiwaka from the Western Highlands as a province on its own, the Banz Police station is the largest police station in the province.
However, the houses that accommodate officers who man the station, have not seen much change since the colonial administration.
The 40 men single quarters is now home to 8 policemen and their families.
There is no proper toilet, no running water, and food is prepared and cooked over an open fire outside.
Gene Gware and his colleague police officers are concerned about their living conditions and want attention placed on the matter.
The houses are very old and there has been very little maintenance and plumbing done to improve the conditions of these houses.
Etla Tom and her husband, a police officer, are from the coast but have spent more than a decade in Banz under this roof.
She says police in Banz have never received any attention for maintenance and renovations.
Police here are also concerned about the lack of resources such as police vehicles, firearms and uniforms.
But there is some feeling of relief amongst these officers with the recent announcement of 17 new houses for policemen and women in Jiwaka.
Jiwaka’s Provincial Police Commander, Joseph Tondop says headquarters is aware of the problems, and is addressing it.
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