Jiwaka submits five-year plan

JIWAKA Province is the first to submit its provincial five-year development plan (2018-2022) as integrated with the medium-term development plan (MTDP III) to the Department of National Planning and Monitoring (DNPM).
Governor Dr William Tongamp presented the plan to Minister for National Planning and Monitoring Richard Maru and DNPM Acting Secretary Koney Samuel at the Vulupindi Haus in Port Moresby last week.
The plan reports where and how far the young province has come over the past five years, comprising baseline information and the province’s plans for the next five years. The development plan also highlights Jiwaka’s setbacks and recommends to the national Government how the province can actively participate in its own development for mutual benefits.
These include development plans for the infrastructure, lands, commerce, tourism, agriculture, information and communication technology sectors. Development plans for the Social Sector includes health and HIV/AIDS, education, law and justice, community development and human resources.
The plan points out that for the effective implementation of the plans and deliverables of the listed sectors, a total annual budget of K100 million is needed, while over five years, a total funding of K564 million is needed.
Dr Tongamp also presented the plans for the province’s five major projects, saying coffee was a major priority as the majority of people in Jiwaka are involved in the coffee sector.
The other major project the province is looking at is dairy.
Tongamp said the Catholic Church has proposed to provide 500 hectors of land for dairy projects. Talks are continuing with other churches in the province to enter into partnership for the economic benefit of the province and its people.
Samuel said the department was in the process of putting together the MTDP III and Jiwaka’s five-year development plan has come at the right time.
The plan will be reviewed and the department will provide its comments, especially on some of the province’s critical investments.
Maru said the main issue should be to help Jiwaka as a new province to develop its commercial centre and drive Jiwaka to become economically stronger on its own and eventually stop relying on Western Highlands, which it used to be a part of.