Feeder roads in Morobe lack funding

MANY feeder roads linking districts and local-level government stations in Morobe lack consistent funding for maintenance which is denying rural people access to basic services, deputy governor Waka Daimon says.
Daimon said the provincial government and its administration needed to review and prioritise budget allocations for certain sectors and include them in the recurrent budget.
Instead, it was neglecting failing infrastructures that were once maintained by the government, he said.
“Instead, the task to repair roads, bridges, wharves and airstrips have been left to the districts and local level governments.”
“Two among other vital sectors that need priority is the provincial Works and disaster that require increased budget because roads, bridges, ships and airstrips are the lifeline to the silent majority.”
Daimon said that the geographical location of Morobe demanded an increase in budget for the provincial disaster from K1 million to K10 million, similar to Works.
“Natural disasters, especially landslips, roads, floods, droughts and water-borne diseases never speak to humans before they occur,” Daimon said.
“We need to integrate some response functions of certain agencies like Works, disaster, health and education and get their roles prepared with funding available to move swiftly when human needs arise.”
Daimon responded after visiting Watut-Aseki and Bulolo-Wau roads last weekend.
The road links have deteriorated from Sosaiti-Kol Maunten and Pine Top-Wau.
Pine Top-Wau was cut off with four landslips along the Blue Point and Cliffside that forced PMVs and private vehicles to use the PNG Forest Product back road.
Watut council manager Raune Jambert said though they had discussed with the provincial government to assist LLGs that had machines to repair and maintain the roads, nothing occurred.