Lufa district drought victims get food supplies

 OVER 20,000 family units in Lufa district, Eastern Highlands, started to receive almost K1 million worth of food relief supplies last Friday.

Acting chief executive officer of Lufa district development authority (DDA) Peter Yang confirmed the district received K250,000 from the Government to deliver relief supplies to drought-stricken families towards the end of last year.

He said Lufa MP Jeffery Kuave has beefed that amount with K700,000 for a total of K950,000 for the provision of food supplies to the 20,000 families identified in a survey.

“However, we encountered an impasse in the district over the position of DDA chief executive officer, that affected timely distribution of food supplies last year together with other districts,” Yang said. 

“Now that the impasse between the former CEO and myself has been resolved, we now roll out the supplies in three phases for the three local level governments in Lufa district.” 

He said phase one of the distribution would begin with Yagaria LLG, phase two will be for Mt Michael LLG and the third phase for Unavi LLG.

Yang said Yagaria LLG has 8000 identified families, Mt Michael 7000 and Unavi 4200.

“We are starting with Yagaria LLG ward six in Gotomi area now, I have for the first time mobilised public servants in the district to work cooperatively to distribute the supplies,’’ he said.

The relief food supplies were 19,000 rice bags (10kg) and 19,000 containers of one litre cooking oil bottles.

Team leader of Lufa food relief supplies distributions Rex Kuku said they distributed 984 bags of rice and 984 containers of cooking oil for Gotomi, they will continue to other parts of Yagaria LLG before moving to Mt Michael and Unavi LLGs.

Itu Boeagavi, an officer from the National Disaster Centre who was present to witness the distribution was satisfied that the money for relief supplies was used properly for the intended purpose. Yagaria LLG president John Fonoma thanked local MP Kuave and the Government for the money used for food relief.  

He said the rains have come but the people are only harvesting vegetables and the kaukau  (sweet potato) and bananas would take a bit more time to mature.

 “We are now relieved that the people will rely on the supplies while waiting for kaukau and banana to mature. My Yagaria LLG is in grassland and my people are hardest hit,” Fonoma said.