By Jim John
Lack of basic services is affecting the lives of people in Western Province.
Limited health facilities, roads, electricity among others not delivered within the four districts respectively is still a real struggle faced in the province.
Locals have raised their concerns that it is a new year and that their leaders must seriously consider education, health and other services for improved living.
In South Fly District, Daru General Hospital needs improvement on its facilities including medical equipment and staff houses.
According to a local resident, Pauline Nia, those issues have not been attended to, and as a result is waning clinical services in the district.
She elaborated that no proper roads in rural LLG’s within the district has been affecting the people including teachers and mothers with birth complications.
“In Morehead, Bituri and others, all health centres are run down and teachers don’t come to remote schools to teach our children due to no roads.” she said.
People in Delta Fly and Middle Fly Districts lack access to services such as banking, airports, markets, roads, and police stations.
In North Fly District, the Ningerum Hospital located 72 kilometers along Kiunga-Tabubibil highway has deteriorated and is in a rundown state. Locals from the district in need of medical assistance seek treatment from Rumginae hospital, Kiunga District Hospital, Tabubil and other health centers along the highway.
A local resident in Kiunga, Justin Sapaka said, the issue for Western Province is not money, but how the money is being budgeted and allocated for service delivery in the province.
“Unnecessary office rents, hire cars, misappropriation of funds and personal interest played in Administrative offices in the province, are the reasons we are still the same with no services.” he said.
He has appealed to leaders of Western Province to use money wisely to bring services in the province, noting that in 2023, the Ok Tedi Mine has made a final dividend payment of K450 million to its shareholders, and the Fly River Provincial Government has no excuse not to address lack of basic service delivery.
It is understood the shareholders are the National Government with 67% of equity in OTML, Community Mine Continuation Agreement (CMCA) Holdings Limited with 12%, Mineral Resources Ok Tedi No.2 (MROTNo.2) with 12% direct equity interest in OTML and Star Mountains Limited, with 9% of equity in OTML.
The people of Western Province are now calling on the leaders of the four districts and the Fly River Provincial Government to work together for change.
