Jiwaka fact and fascination

By GABBY MUGANG
LOCATED along the Kubor Mountain ranges and the gorgeous Waghi Valley is the province of Jiwaka. It is made up of four ethnic groups of people; the Jimi, Waghi, Kambia and Anglimp.
Situated on the vast mountain terrains to the northern end of the province is Jimi and on the southern part is Kambia, while in the centre of the lengthy valley are Anglimp and Waghi.
Jiwaka has a population of approximately 400 000 people and shares borders with former “caretaker” Western Highlands and Chimbu.
The people of Jiwaka or Jiwakans are generally kind and friendly with unique traditional cultures and many different spoken dialects. They live in typical highlands-style round houses in family units making up small clans and bigger tribes.
With the advantage of its fertile soil the province is famous for its fresh garden produce such as pineapples, oranges, peanuts, cucumbers, sweet potatoes, cassava, bananas, sugarcane, red pandanus and an array of vegetables.
In 2012, Jiwaka, formerly a part of Western Highlands, was given its autonomy and in the same year during the national election Jiwakans for the first time as a fully-fledged province voted their representatives to the national Parliament.
Since its birth, the Jiwaka Provincial Government under the leadership of pioneer governor Dr William Tongamp who is now serving a second term, and the three open members have been working hard to bring vital infrastructure developments and basic services into the new province.
In the remote Jimi district, local MP Wake Goi, who is also a serving a second term, is giving priority to road rehabilitation. He understands that a good road network will allow easy access to much needed basic services and also open up the remote district to the many economic opportunities.
In addition, Goi has been subsidising airfares for public servants, students and the people travelling in and out of the district, as most of its parts are still not accessible by roads. That is a notable intervention that needs continuity into the future.
Another obvious achievement by the MP is the subsidising of school fees for Jimi students attending tertiary institutions around the country.
North Waghi MP Dr Fabian Pok who is serving two consecutive terms now, has rolled out a lot of impact projects in his electorate. Some of these include the construction of police houses at Banz and Nondugul LLGs and thedistribution of sawmills and roofing materials under the district housing scheme in which every family in North Waghi will be able to have decent home.
Furthermore, the MP has provided district scholarship grants to assist North Waghi students in tertiary institutions around the country since 2012. This year he has assisted schools in his district with a K1 million during the Covid -19 pandemic.
Likewise, there are some improvements and progress in infrastructure developments and service delivery like the rural electrification project and bridge constructions in the Anglimp-South Waghi electorate delivered by first term MP Joe Kuli.
In addition to that, one of the outstanding accomplishment from the MP is giving one tenth of the people’s money to support different church denominations in the district. This is an exceptional effort that should be embraced by other leaders in the country.
The incumbent governor is also working hard to get the province’s foundational structure done with the construction of the provincial headquarters at Kurumul now underway.
The separation of administrative powers from Western Highlands has seen the establishment of major divisions and department offices in the new province. The provincial government is now at least delivering some basic services through its departments with education and health on top of the list followed by law and order, infrastructure, agriculture and others.
The separation has eventually seen some tangible developments in the province.
Although Kurumul, located along the Okuk Highway, is now the provincial headquarter, the township of Banz is currently the Jiwaka’s commercial hub with the business booming and the province’s population is flocking into the township every day for business.
Agriculture
Unlike other provinces that are known to have gold, oil, gas and other minerals, Jiwaka does not have such resources but is relying on its major cash crops of tea and coffee as well as fresh garden produce.
As a result, the provincial government is considering agriculture as a priority on its agenda. Farm redevelopment is now underway with several projects in the pipeline. The coffee rehabilitation programme is now in place and is coordinated by the recently establish Jiwaka Development Corporation. The corporation is the business arm of the provincial government. One of its main tasks will be to revive the run-down Waghi Mek coffee plantation. If the plantation is revived it has the ability to generate spin off benefits like it had done a few decades ago and thus boost the coffee industry in the province.
Tourism
Another industry that is on the rise now is tourism. Jiwaka’s beautiful scenery of vast blue mountains of tropical rainforest, fast flowing rivers and the fertile Waghi Valley coupled with diverse rich cultures and friendly people gives an ideal opportunity in the untapped industry.
With the dawn of the new province, many individuals have realised the importance of tourism which has the potential to generate good incomes and boost the province’s economy. As a result, many have ventured into tourism and related projects.
The new province is progressing slowly and will continue to improve with the support and co-operation of its stakeholders.

• Gabby Mugang is an author and freelance journalist. Her first book titled Mugang Mugarewec Bitenggere – A Pioneer Missionary to the Highlands of New Guinea is still on sale reaching markets as far as Australia and Europe. Interested readers can order copies through email: [email protected]