Masani: Patrol post in poor state

By PISAI GUMAR
FORMER Huon Gulf MP Tukape Masani described the colonial administrative centre of Morobe patrol post as “a neglected child living in a desperate, sad state of affairs”.
The front page picture in The National yesterday resulted in Masani turning up at the newspaper’s Voco Point office, in Lae, to clarify provincial government fund sources supposed to be secured to maintain roads and bridges in rural areas.
He said during his term as MP, only K500,000 was allocated as an annual budget from the national government.
“We prioritised our projects in three LLGs and delivered accordingly,” Masani said.
“I understand that the Morobe-Gobe road is a provincial government-funded road and comes under the provincial government’s recurrent budget for roads and bridges maintenance programme,” he said.
“This is the existing programme but I am sure LLG president Michael Gape and MP Sasa Zibe are doing little to secure the funds.
 “Where have all the millions given by the government, starting with K10 million to Huon Gulf district, gone, while Morobe remains the same after 35 years?”
It is understood that the maintenance of road portions and bridges at Saso, Douna and Sapa, between Morobe station and Giu, are funded from the provincial government recurrent budget for road and bridges maintenance programme.
The road from Giu to Wiwo, including Giu Bridge, is funded with money secured from the national government.
 However, the road and bridges have deteriorated over the years
with little maintenance.
The government station is totally run down. One half of a recently rehabilitated police house is submerged by rising sea level. 
District administrator Tony Ase said the scope of the work and feasibility studies for Sapa Bridge maintenance was carried out.
He said K500,000 was allocated to construct a rapid deployment bridge (RDP) that had
been bought and was awaiting the Provincial Supplies and Tenders Board to put up a tender notice for contractors to bid for it.