Councillor installs lights

MT Hagen urban local level government (LLG) ward eight councillor Michael Nita has installed security lights at almost every PNG Power pylon in his ward following a spate of rape, bag-snatching, robberies and other crime.
“The K50,000 funding for the lights was given by Hagen MP William Duma,” he said.
“The area is now brightly lit at night.”
Nita said more than 12,000 people in the ward had feared
going out at night because youths took advantage of the dark to
prey on their victims in the past years.
“The people reported the matter to me and leaders in the ward and when asked if they could identify the suspects, they said it was dark and they did not see their faces,” he said.
Nita said after receiving the funds, he discussed with the PNG Power Ltd management to help him and they responded positively by providing a vehicle and assigning two electricians to install the security lights.
He said about 70 per cent of the ward now had security lights and “we need more assistance to complete the remaining dark areas”.
“There are people from all over the country living in the ward and their safety is of importance,” he said.
“Mt Hagen is the third largest city in the country and there should be lights installed on the streets.
“Ward councillors in the Mt Hagen urban local level government should utilise funding made available to them as whatever little we (councillor) do will change the mindset of people.”
Nita said he aimed to make his ward a model ward in Mt Hagen city but the lack of funding handicapped him. He said his
next target, if funding was available, was to ensure water supply
was connected to houses in the ward.
“After the lights were installed, the community started to clean up the streets,” he said.
“It now looks cleaner and the crime rate is down.”