Enga govt urged to meet commitment

National, Normal
Source:

The National- Thursday, February 3, 2011

 By ELIAS LARI

THE Enga provincial government has been urged to fulfill its commitment towards the Mapilam Woodlort forest project in Angi village that have lost more than K1 million worth of trees in fire in September two years ago.

During that time, the provincial government promised to come and assist in cash.

However, since 2009 till now, the commitment was not being fulfilled.

Manager Jerry Pindao said yesterday that he was waiting for the assistant because the project was a multi million Kina development.

He said the project lost more than 24,000 matured trees made up of pinus, patula, 

eucalyptus and casuarinas, in the fire in a dry season.

Pindao said the trees occupied about 1,200ha.

He said if the trees were sold at the market, they could have made about K1,016,700.

Pindao said they had spent more than K100,000 to buy seedlings from Western Highlands and started the project in 2008.

However, he said that after a year, the trees were burnt which affected the project.

Pindao said the project would help the people of Enga in terms of job employment and could also generate income for the province.

He said seeing the importance of a forest project in the province, the provincial government promised that it would help to restore the project.

He said they had been waiting for the commitment since 2009 but nothing happened.

Pindao said the provincial government should make funds available for the project because it would help its people to benefit.

He said such empty promise was building up frustration among the management and the surrounding community who were taking ownership of the project.