Source: Jimmy Kalebe

Mandi to Tumarau road in Turubu local level government area in East Sepik Province is currently given a facelift of K1.9 million.

Thanks to Minister for Correctional Services and Member for Wewak Open Jim B Simatab with counter funding from provincial and the national government to see this vital service reaching the people.

The road which connects more than 5,000 people was built in the early 1980s and has never been upgraded or maintained ever since.

With the current allocation of funds, some work will be done but it needs additional funds to get the road to a full maintenance.

Villages of Kauberi, Pangurie, Mundangai and Tumarau have to walk distances in order to have their goods supplied to market or to receive vital services such as health and education. This will be a thing of the past after the completion of the road.

Despite negative impression in development arising over the last 5 years through logging and oil palm operations in the area, this is one development that truly benefited the rural people and that it has the most backing by the local people.

Dagun Construction Ltd Director Vincent Dagun in an interview said he is happy to part take in the road rehabilitation and maintenance as it was vital for the people and it is long overdue for the people.

He said such partnership in infrastructure development within the local communities between Turubu LLG, the Wewak Open member, the provincial government and the local company is something people must support.ln

Mr Dagun said people along the road should take ownership and pride over such opportunity provided by the LLG and Open Member as this service will help local people in many ways to sustain their livelihood.

He thanked the local people for the support given in seeing the project off the ground adding his construction company will give its best to see that the funds allocated for the project truly benefited the entire population and Turubu LLG as a whole.

Meanwhile, Tumarau in the inland of Turubu LLG has been proposed for a growth center in Wewak District.

The announcement by the Minister for Correctional and Member for Wewak Open comes after plans were in place to shift the LLG headquarters and Turubu High School to the area.

The minister said currently Wewak town is densely populated and land shortages to support businesses boom in the district.

He added that people must work together and lease their land for such development to take place in the LLG level.