K13mil for rural water supply

National, Normal
Source:

The National, Tuesday 30th April 2013

 By MALUM NALU

THE European Union has provided K13 million over the past three years to improve access to clean water for rural people in three centres.

They are Maprik in East Sepik, Finschhafen in Morobe and Kainantu in Eastern Highlands, according to ambassador Martin Dihm.

The PNG-EU district towns water supply programme is managed by Water PNG in cooperation with the Department of National Planning and Monitoring.

Its purpose is to improve the living conditions of people in rural areas by providing access to clean water.

“Under this project, approximately 15,000 people in the three districts have been provided with a sustainable and metered water supply system,” Dihm said.

“Access to clean water is a basic need of every citizen, and is even more important for women and girls who are responsible for domestic chores.

“Young children are most vulnerable to the ill effects of unsafe water, which causes waterborne diseases such as diarrhoea and cholera.

“The project responds directly to the needs of people in rural PNG.”

National Planning and Monitoring Minister Charles Abel said the project was vital for rural areas.

“This programme comes at a critical time as we gear to accelerate the progress towards improving service delivery in rural areas,” he said.

“It is the government’s goal to ensure that all people, including women and children, have safe and clean water.

“This contribution will enhance our efforts to close that gap.”

Dihm said the EU assistance to PNG was fully aligned to the national poverty reduction strategy, the government’s Vision 2050, and the millennium development goal which states: “Halve, by 2015, the proportion of people with sustainable access to safe drinking water and basic sanitation.”