By DAVID TERRY
THE hand-out mentality practised by leaders of past political regimes coupled with weak and inefficient public service is hampering development and growth for the people of Oro province, Oro Governor Suckling Tamanabae said.
Mr Tamanabae, who travelled to Kokoda over the weekend to launch a cocoa producing initiative, told a huge crowd that over the years recycled public servants had compiled tonnes of proposals using very complicated language.
He said the expensive proposals had not materialised because the leaders and bureaucrats were reportedly corrupt and incompetent.
The ceremony was witnessed by a huge crowd of villagers and devout Christians from around the country.
Mr Tamanabae, who is also a pastor, attributed his election victory to God’s wish and promised that he would continue to pray and do everything within his means to install accountability and godly principles in all facets of management within the Oro provincial administration.
“The 100-day I have given as an ultimatum for the various departmental heads within the administration to provide a detailed brief on their action plan is up and if I am not satisfied, some heads will roll because I am intent on steering the province onto the path of growth and prosperity,” he said.
He said the province had almost 200,000 people from an estimate of five people per family was about 40,000 families.
Mr Tamanabae said by using the estimate, the provincial government under his leadership would look at the possibility of ensuring that 40,000 homes were built throughout the province as part of efforts to improve the lives of the people.
“By using this matrix, we can visualise the need for hospital beds, the amount of medicine, classrooms and books for schools and creation of jobs within the public and private sector,” he said.
An amount of K50,000 had been earmarked for the purchase of cocoa pods for growers in the province and his government was anticipating a further K2 million to start the task of improving the cultivation and full scale production of cocoa.
“Our aim is to create more jobs for the people of Oro so that they can earn cash and become more self-reliant. I have big visions for the people of Oro but these changes cannot be achieved overnight.
“I encourage Christians to pray for change so that God can use leaders in the province to bring about the much desired changes in peoples lives,” he said.