by Jack Lapauve Jr – EM TV News, Port Moresby
Chief Secretary, Sir Manasupe Zurenuoc, has given assurance that the Government will provide immediate funding for relief assistance to areas affected by drought and frost.
The announcement comes after Zurenuoc received the assessment reports on Mt Wilhelm, Chimbu Province, Tambul-Neblyer and Western Highlands Province.
The brief assessment report for Tambul-Nebilyer District was presented to Sir Manasupe yesterday by the Western Highlands Provincial Administrator, Joseph Neng, Tambul-Nebilyer District Administrator, Douglas Lingawa and the Mt Giluwe LLG President, Michael Mai at the Morauta Haus Building.
Zurenuoc also urged all disaster-hit provinces and districts to provide an assessment report of the population affected and the scale of the damages caused by the disaster.
“With these assessment reports from the affected provinces and districts, the government will be able to provide funding and relief assistance accordingly.
“Tambul-Nebilyer has been the most affected district by the frost catastrophe and is currently in dire need of relief assistance,” Sir Manasupe said.
He said it was first hit on July 11th-14th, where 56,000 people including 8,000 households have been critically affected by frost.
According to District Administrator Lingawa, the two major fast-flowing rivers in the district including Kagul and Ambonga have now dropped to a severe drying level.
“Whether it rains or shines, all crops have been fully damaged by frost resulting in the crops considered to be frost-resistant like breadfruit, cabbages and broccoli been damaged,” the District Administrator revealed.
