Leader: Don’t move check point

 THE Enga provincial government’s decision to relocate the Enga/Western Highlands border check point to Wapenamanda is not in the best interest of the people of Enga, a local level government president said yesterday.

Wapenamanda LLG president Nick Andake said in a statement yesterday that many people were killed during the boom gate feud and the decision would “add fuel to the burning fire”.

He said since the conflict has not been resolved, it was unacceptable for the provincial government to take such action to move the boom gate to Kembo near the Wapenamanda station.

He added that the move would also indicate that the two constituencies of Minabe and Lower Lai were not part of Enga.

“If Governor Peter Ipatas is a thinking governor than he should help the Wapenamanda MP and Foreign Affairs and Immigrations Minister Rimbink Pato to build the police station at the boom gate,” he said. 

“Pato has taken the lead in putting the police station there at the border. The government should help him with funds to build the police station quickly than passing resolutions at the provincial assembly to move the boom gate.

Andake said Ipatas had done nothing for the Wapenamanda and therefore should help with the police station and let the boom gate to be on the border of Western Highlands and Enga and not further into Enga as proposed.