MP urges O’Neill to fund h’way repairs

By ZACHERY PER
HENGANOFI MP Robert Atiyafa is urging Prime Minister Peter O’Neill to allocate more funds to districts along the Highlands Highway so they can maintain it.
Atiyafa yesterday visited the site of a road accident which left 12 people dead, on Tuesday, including a Grade 4 student Parpar Ipiks, at the Henganofi bridge on Tuesday.
He gave K2,000 to relatives of Ipiks. The child was reportedly picked up at Henganofi market by his father.
They were heading to Goroka when the accident happened. Dad Kakamuka Ipiks remains in critical condition at the Goroka Base Hospital intensive care unit.
Atiyafa said money allocated for the maintenance of the Highlands Highway should be given to districts along the highway.
He said while major maintenance work could be carried out by contractors, regular maintenance could be done by the district works officials.
He said that should apply to all districts along the highway – from Morobe to Hela and Porgera in Enga.
“I plead with O’Neill, Finance Minister James Marape and Treasury Minister Don Polye to ensure money for regular upkeep of the highway is managed by the provincial and district works units,” he said.
“Several lives were lost in accidents along the highway triggered by potholes as a result of the lack of regular maintenance.”
Atiyafa said the ambulance at the Henganofi Health Centre was more than 10 years old and not in a good condition.
He said he would speed up construction work on the new Henganofi hospital.
A 15-seater PMV bus owned by a Henganofi operator went off the bridge, killing seven passengers, including the driver and crew instantly.
Five others died while being rushed to Goroka Base Hospital.