ENB approves 51 projects under rural service

By ROSELYN ELLISON
THE East New Britain (ENB) government has approved 51 projects under the rural service delivery project (RSDP) that have been rolled out in local level governments (LLGs) in the province’s four districts.
According to ENB division of LLG and justice adviser Rosemary Murure the screening of expression of interest for proposed projects areas in 108 wards had been submitted and completed.
Murure told The National yesterday that there were 51 projects under the four LLGs of Toma-Vunadidir in the Gazelle district, Raluana in Kokopo, Balanataman in Rabaul and West Pomio-Mamusi in Pomio.
Murure said under the 51 projects, 44 were ward projects and seven were women’s group projects that were approved and nominated for grant funding that had been jointly allocated by the ENB government and other donors.
LLGs: Balanataman 12 projects (11 ward, 1 women); Raluana 13 projects (11 ward, 2 women); Toma-Vunadirdir 12 projects (10 ward, 2 women); West Pomio-Mamusi 14 projects (12 ward, 2 women).
Murure said the projects covered community needs such as constructing community halls, water projects, classrooms, markets and other livelihood projects to benefit the community.
She said the major infrastructure projects were community halls and water supply projects.
She said community halls were important because they signified the government’s presence in the wards.
She added that many communities in the province did not have community shelters for community meetings.
She said access to clean drinking water was important in communities as well, hence the need for water supply projects.
“The current pace that the team is now in is the process of designing or formulation where it involves the technical people like the department of works and technical service and finally coming up with the final costings,” Murure said.