Bad road conditions make travellers vulnerable to robbers, harassment

THE poor state of roads between Ambenob and Transgogol in Madang has affected the lives of some 10,000 people including making travellers vulnerable to robbers and harassment, a community leader says.
Transgogol local level government president Bernard Koita said the Gogol River overflowed its banks and flooded the Guman River between ward 20 of Ambenob LLG and ward 2 of Transgogol LLG, eroding sections of the road making it impassable by car.
“Vehicles can no longer go past Guman into Transgogol,” he said.
Bus operator Jeffery Tufana said people living in Wainif, Megenam, Moag and Baimak could no longer pass through.
Tufana, who is from the area and owns a PMV that runs to and from Madang town, said he could no longer pass through Guman because parts of the road been washed away.
“It’s been like this for nearly six months and we are really struggling,” he said.
Tufana said people from Megenam walked for six hours to reach the nearest area to catch a PMV to town.
He said last week three women from Megenam walked from their village and were heading to town when a man, allegedly from Moag village, attacked them.
Two of the women managed to escape but the third one was raped.
Tufana said the victim sought help at Moag village where a man and his wife gave her refuge.
He said the woman’s relatives went to Moag the next day and killed the alleged rapist. Tufana said opportunists were taking advantage of people because they had to walk long distances.
He appealed to the Madang government to assess the road condition and work to fixing the section of the road in order to restore transport services in the area.
The Madang district office are aware of the situation and the problems arising as a result of the impassable road.
Meanwhile, since the beheading of a Southern Highlands teacher at Bau Primary School last year, police officers fought locals and killed four youths and since that time the South Ambenob area from Four-Mile junction towards Transgogol High School and Utut to Bigawa remained a no-go zone for law enforcement officers.
Tufana said people in the communities wanted the police to return to the area and maintain law and order.
Madang provincial police commander chief inspector Ben Neneo could not be reached for comment.