Bonga gives water tanks to district

 By RIGGO NANGAN

A WARD councillor in Ahi local level government thanked the member for Nawaeb and Minister for Forest, Timothy Bonga, for allocating water tanks and money to seven of the 17 wards in the electorate.

Ward 12 councillor, Mora Baiyupe, thanked the minister for allocating two 8,000L tuffa tanks and K10,000 cash to each of the seven wards (11 to 17) in the Nawaeb district.

Baiyupe, whose ward covers Bumayong, Tent city suburb and Busu Bridge camp in Lae’s north, said the water project assistance were the first any MP had given to the council wards in many years.

Bonga also donated a utility pick-up vehicle to help the ward councillors in their duties. 

Baiyupe said the minister’s assistance would go a long way considering the much-forecasted drought envisaged to hit the country in 2012. 

He wanted the minister to consider water for Tent city, which is an urban suburb within the electorate, with most of residents currently using rain water collected in 44-gallon drums for drinking, bathing and cooking. 

This water, he said, was not sufficient because it would run out quickly, unhygienic and also became breeding grounds for mosquitoes. 

“Some residents in the suburb have PNG WaterBoard water connections whereas most do not as they cannot afford the connection fees. 

“PNG WaterBoard can only connect water if a group requests the service and not for individuals. 

“We will be severely affected by the drought and I would like to call on Bonga to seriously consider water for the suburb,” Baiyupe said.