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By CYRIL GARE
THE people of Ambunti in East Sepik province will have a road linking them to
Wewak, the provincial capital, by end of this term of Parliament.
This was the undertaking from their Regional MP and Prime Minister Sir Michael
Somare on the eve of the 32nd independence celebrations in Wewak.
Sir Michael said Ambunti had no road access for a very long time now and
promised that they would get a road before he bowed out of active politics in
2012.
Sir Michael was speaking during a brief ceremony at Ela Motors depot in Wewak
where he donated a 72hp 4WD hydraulic Massey Ferguson tractor kitted with
trailer and slasher to representatives of the Ambunti people.
The tractor will help in the upkeep of the Ambunti airstrip, Government
installations including schools, hospitals and administrative blocks as well as
providing the much needed transportation between the Sepik River waterfront and
inland locations.
Ambunti Dreikikir cocoa and coconut project manager Nick Klapat, who received
the tractor on behalf of the people, thanked the Somare Government for its
consideration and the gift.
Sir Michael also announced a K2.9 million cocoa funding to Ambunti by his
Government to boost cocoa development in the district.
Other districts in East Sepik which received similar funding include Angoram
(K2.5 million) and Maprik (K3.2 million).
The money will be used in training of village model farmers, procurement of
seedlings and polly bags, nursery development and other contingency plans and
programmes.
Newly appointed cocoa board chairman Patrick Tangitban Wolly, who was also
present, extended his gratitude to the Government for placing emphasis on
agriculture development in the country, describing the sector as the “back bone”
of the economy.
 
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