Onglo eyes agriculture for economic empowerment

Highlands

Member for Kundiawa-Gembolg William Onglo says economic empowerment through agriculture will be the priority of the electorate.
Onglo, who ran as an independent candidate, unseated People’s Tobias Kulang last week.
According to the returning officer for Kundiawa-Gembogl Nickson Nebare, the count could not be completed with the rest of the five electorates in the province last week due to protests by candidates and scrutineers, court orders and unprecedented violence.
Onglo, who is a first-time MP, polled 15,499 votes, past the absolute majority of 14,150 and was declared by Nebare at the Dickson oval in Kundiawa last Thursday.
“I commend the people of Kundiawa-Gembogl for their trust and confidence in me,” he said.
“I commend the counting officials, the provincial election steering committee and the provincial electoral officers for taking up the challenge to finally deliver the election for the electorate to ensure a member is elected to represent our people.”
He said his priority would be to driving economic empowerment in the district by investing in the agriculture sector.
“This will not only be in Kundiawa-Gembogl but in the entire Chimbu province.  We do not have an avenue where our people can be able to generate a reasonable income to meet their basic needs and improve their living standards,” Onglo said.
“Therefore, apart from education, health, law and order and infrastructure developments, economic empowerment will be my priority.
“We will try and target two or three food crops or vegetables that grow best in the electorate.”