Frustration over funding delay

By SAMUEL BARIASI
A SERVICE provider in Kagua, Southern Highlands, is frustrated over delays with funding for a feasibility study for Kagua town’s water supply.
Koi Kagua town Water Supply Services chairman Nelson Wapu said the K12 million water supply project was already approved by the Government and was still on hold.
Wapu said even though his proposal to administer the feasibility study was approved by relevant government authorities, he had been waiting for close to three years for funding from Kagua-Erave district development authority (DDA).
“The Kagua-Erave DDA raised a K100,000 cheque in 2018 to Water PNG for us to arrange for the feasibility study but the cheque was then redirected to a construction company which have not done anything since then,” he said.
Wapu said a district hospital that was supposed to be built was being delayed because of the water supply project not being completed.
He provided The National with copies of Government-approved documents and a copy of the cheque proving that the payment of K100,000 for feasibility study had been made.
“We received confirmation of the payment but we were advised by Water PNG later on that Regal Construction was selected,” he said.
Wapu said Regal Construction was an Imbongu-based construction company that lacked experience in supplying water and plumbing.
A spokesman from local MP Wesley Raminai’s office said there was no formal agreement with Wapu to conduct a feasibility study.
“The cheque was written to Water PNG, not Wapu and his team,” the spokesman said. “Water PNG will assist our preferred contractor which is Regal Construction to do feasibility study.”
The spokesperson said the feasibility study would be done in the Ronga and Mendo wards of Kagua Central local level government and not Kagua town.
“We do not know anything about a K12 million water supply in the town.”