Enga thanks Aust for help

ENGA Governor Sir Peter Ipatas has thanked the Australian government for recognising his province as a potential zone to benefit under the country’s existing bilateral assistance programmes.
Sir Peter told a group of Australian aid technical officers, including contract supervisors of the health and education procurement fund (HEPF) recently, that his provincial government was happy with Australia for showing enormous interest in the last two years in providing partnership assistance on major education and health service and development programmes.
The specific Australian funding assistance that Sir Peter referred to include the allocation of K25 million to 10 schools under the HEPF programme, K4.6 million to construct a male dormitory at Enga College of Nursing, 15 scholarship packages for second-year students at Enga Teachers College and Enga College of Nursing and an undertaking to sponsor more than 20 Enga students, including public servants, for studies in Australia under the Australian Awards programme starting next year.
Sir Peter said though his province had missed out on Australian aid programmes in the last 30 years while much of its attention was concentrated on well-known provinces mainly in the coastal areas, he was looking forward to working closely to achieve what his province had missed out on.
HEPF contractor supervising executive Roger Dickson said he was confident that the school facilities, including a double classroom, a staff house and an absolutions block each for a total of 10 schools, would be delivered before the end of this year as he had confidence in working with Sir Peter and his administration that had a track record in implementing education programmes.