Okapa launches road, electricity and rice projects

By PHILIP ORE’E
THE people of Okapa district, Eastern Highlands, officially launched three projects last week.
More than 3,000 people attended the launching of the road infrastructure, rural electrification and rice mill projects.
Local MP Bonny Oveyara said the people would have access to good roads, electricity and a mill for their locally grown rice, all of which would improve their quality of life.
He said the road from Kainantu district to Okapa had been closed for 30 years but now reopened and people could travel easily by truck into Kainantu town for shopping and selling their produce.
Oveyara said phase one of the rural electrification project would be funded by the National Planning office at the cost of K2.7 million, which was committed by minister Sam Basil.
He said agriculture played a vital role in PNG so he introduced rice farming and bought a K12,000 rice milling machine for the farmers to mill their own rice rather than spending money on buying the staple.
Jimi MP Wake Goi presented K5,000, owner of Bintangor trading Simon Sia presented K2,000 while deputy Prime Minister Belden Namah, who could not make it to launching, pledged K5,000,000 for the projects.
Goi and Sia appealed to the people to take ownership of government’s services.
They said some districts in the province and other centre were struggling for better services but they were lucky to receive such services.