By Rayon Lakingu – EMTV News, Port Moresby
According to Ambunti-Drekikier MP Johnson Wapunai, Infrastructure development and service delivery to Ambunti-Drekikier District in East Sepik Province has been a big challenge for the district, for the last 42 years.
He said this when presenting the district’s 2018 acquittals to the Department of Implementation and Rural Development.
Wapunai says, this year his aim is to see results from all funds budgeted for development purposes in his district.
About 2 million kina of the District Support Implementation Program acquitted was received in 2017, and 10 million received last year and Wapunai says all these funds have been acquitted.
According to the member, most of the funds acquitted were used for education and health and a road construction project in the district.
“Currently with my district management, our priority is looking at primary health services and Primary education.” “We are sponsoring students mainly. We want to bring more teachers and more community health workers back to the district, that’s where the need is.”The Ambuniti-Drekikier District is one of the most isolated districts in the province and it is one of the biggest in terms of land mass. The district is located along the Sepik River and Shares its border with West Sepik Province, and access to basic services is always a challenge for the people due to its remoteness.
“Our district needs to catch up with other districts in the province, and our team is working very hard to see what we can do.”Last year the district invested heavily in education and health, an investment which will continue this year through its DSIP funding. In education, the Member says about 20 thousand kina has been allocated to sponsor teachers in teachers colleges, to get college training, who will then return to teach students in the district. Department of Implementation and Rural Development Secretary, Aihi Vaki, upon receiving the district’s acquittals said it is everyone’s responsibility to make sure funds are used for development in their district.]]>
