PM announces K50mil-plus package for Okapa

PRIME Minister James Marape has delivered more than K50 million rural development package to the people of Okapa in Eastern Highlands last Friday.
From the total package, K14 million would go towards the funding of Okapa (Eastern Highlands) to Gulf highway to be constructed under the Government’s Connect PNG programme and other trunk roads.
“Such huge amount of money is coming to fix roads in Okapa district including Okapa-Gulf highway because your local member of parliament remains loyal with the Government and fought to get the funding,” Marape said.
The other two main roads identified were Okapa-Gimi road, and Kainantu-Okapa road.
Partners like Asian Development Bank (ADB) will be invited. A separate K10 million was allocated for the re-sealing of the road from Kainantu to Okapa station and more funding would be sourced to complete sealing.
Marape said another K10 million would be added to an earlier K5 million to reconstruct Okapa rural hospital to a fully pledged hospital status that would have the services of two or three specialised medical doctors. Marape committed K5 million to Okapa National Volunteer Service that was initiated to cater for the growing number of school dropout youths.
He stressed the importance of giving second chances to youths who dropped out of school by supporting them with technical and agriculture skills.
Marape urged people not to play politics and disrupt services.