Naru fixes road three years later

 By CLEMENT KAUPA

MOROBE Governor Kelly Naru has finally achieved something he planned to do three years ago – to fix a road for people Nawaeb district.

As a non-parliamentarian, he was moved by the people’s frustrations when they could not easily access markets and services. He tried to reconstruct the Boana-Nambut road in 2010.

The 10 drums of diesel he brought had remained in a village near Boana station until last week when Naru returned. 

He gave K800,000 for the reconstruction of the road. 

The road is supposed to serve close to 1,000 people from Nambutto, the rugged Wain-Erap mountains, and to Bumayong, on the outskirts of Lae city.

“I can see that the 10 diesel drums are still sitting where I left them,” Naru told locals.

“That is a definite sign that your past political leaders were blind and insensitive to your suffering. That stops here and now.”

He accused the district administration of operating out of Lae rather than Boana station.

“While officers from other district stations remain at their designated locations, I see Boana district officers and vehicles running around in Lae every day. 

“Are you permanently stationed there now,” Naru asked.

Acting district administrator Mathias Awagasi and his officers were present at the ceremony and accepted the criticism.

“The time to take joy rides to Lae is over. I want you to sit yourselves down and start serving the unfortunate people of these mountains to eke out better lives than what they have at present,” Naru added.

He said he was all about moving development on the ground and wanted an implementing agency to support him.

“You cannot cheat me because I was a public servant and a private sector man before I entered politics,” he said.