Locals support Hagen plan
The National – Monday, July 4th 2011
By JAMES APA GUMUNO
LANDOWNERS of Mt Hagen city and Kagamuga Airport have assured Governor Tom Olga of their support for the city’s re-development plan.
At a stakeholders’ meeting last Wednesday, Olga told the local leaders of the developments and how they would be involved.
The leaders from the Moge, Yamuka and Jika tribes said they were happy to support the K1.1 billion project.
They said that it was a first time a governor had directly involved them in the developments.
Chief leader of Moge Nambuka, Thomas Roika, and councillors Jacob Pok, Jacob Wari, Paul Rumints and Charles Kenken all pledged their support for Olga.
Pok thanked Olga on behalf of the other landowners and said past leaders had never invited them to participate in such major development projects.
Olga said he wanted the leaders to understand the plan, participate actively and take ownership of the developments now taking place.
He said it was part of the government’s policy on the public-private partnership to involve stakeholders in the development plans.
He told the leaders to educate their people about the city re-development plans.
Olga then presented K100,000 each in outstanding payment to two Moge clans for the city water supply and a piece of land where the main sewage system of the city was located.
He presented another K50,000 to Kenken and his group to carry out awareness at Kagamuga airport telling people to move away and allowing their land for airport extension and a commercial centre.
He also presented another K50,000 in outstanding payment to the people living near the resource centre.