Ambullua opens new 60km track

 By JAMES APA GUMUNO

THE people of Ambullua in Jimi, Jiwaka, are celebrating the completion and opening of a new 60km track they built to access Kerowagi in Chimbu.

They can now reach Kerowagi in seven hours instead of the 11 hours they used to spend walking through the old Nimangir track.

Catechist Anton Nants and 27 men from the Damba tribe in Ambullua began building the track in January and completed it late last month, taking five months. 

Fr Paul Gunbi and Fr Philip Kaipel, the parish priests at Nondugl and Ambullua, conducted a mass last Thursday at the Mambur Mountain to celebrate the opening of the new bush track.

Hundreds of people from Ambullua and Upper Koronigle attended the mass and witnessed the official opening by the two priests.

Nants said because of the road condition from Banz to Kol had deteriorated over the years and  high fares charged by bus operators, the Ambullua people had to use the Nimangir bush track.

“After the 2012 general election, the supporters of losing candidates used to attack us when we used the Nimangir track,” he said.

“So we’ve come up with an idea to build the new bush track.”

A substantial effort with axes and knives were put into the track.   

Nants said about 10,000 people from seven council wards in Ambullua would benefit from the new track which would take them far less time to walk to Bogo then to Kerowagi.

“We believe in cooperating with the Government to bring services to the people,” Nants said.

“We want the Government to develop this track into a road.”

He also thanked the Graiku people of Upper Koronigle for supporting them with food, accommodation and for giving up their land for the track.

Community leader Tobias Kumugla said the track would benefit not only the Ambullua people but also their neighbours, the people of Upper Koronigle.