EHP admin to oversee Goroka upgrades

National

By MALUM NALU
THE controversial Goroka Market will be developed by the Eastern Highlands administration, acting provincial administrator Samson Akunai says.
The market has not been developed over the last five years due to differences between former Goroka MP Bire Kimisopa and former Eastern Highlands Governor Julie Soso.
“This is a regrettable situation,” Akunai told The National.
“There was an arbitration between the two outgoing leaders (Soso, Kimisopa) which was brokered by the (then) Minister for Provincial Affairs Sir Leo Dion.
“It was agreed that the market should be left to the provincial administration as the elections were drawing near.
“Unfortunately, the decision was kind of tampered with when it went to the state-solicitor’s office for the drawing up of the consent orders, which caused a delay.
“But now we have a new (Goroka) MP, who has made  it known that this is an important project for the  province.
“We want to see the market develop and we are hopeful that things will start moving when the MP chairs his first district development authority meeting.”
Goroka will be seeing several other major developments,  Akunai said.