Duban gives K200,000 to upgrade road

 Madang MP and Petroleum and Energy Minister Nixon Duban had to charter a plane into Madang last week when he was tipped off that some people in his electorate were trying to maintain a road with village tools.

More than 1000 people in Barum village in Transgogol local level government faced poor road conditions for many years.

They got fed up and were about to use their own manpower to work on the two-kilometre stretch of road when Duban appeared at their village.

Duban had his officers fast-tracked a payment of K200,000 to Equip Plant Hires and performed a groundbreaking ceremony in front of hundreds, who had gathered at Barum Elementary School on Saturday.

“I will be really embarrassed if you are building this road using your hands when I have your money to build this road,” Duban said.

He told Barum villagers that the K200,000 cheque was for the first phase of the roadworks and the second and third phases of K200,000 each would see to the completion of the road. 

He said more than 3000 people living from Barum to Gomuru would benefit from the road.

Duban struggled through three long election-related court battles since  2012.

Duban announced at Barum that he would fully fund the Turo Cup competition for four months before end of the year and presented K50,000 to Barum Primary School.