Porgera needs attention, says chamber
PORGERA Chamber of Commerce and Industry president Nickson Pakea says infrastructure and social services must reach Porgera as these are major concerns.
He said this after the highway from Wabag to Porgera was blocked at Maip due to poor road condition.
Pakea said electricity supply to Porgera had been reduced to six hours nightly because of low fuel supplies at the mine’s fuel storage.
He said some areas were cut off completely because of lack of maintenance.
Pakea said this was affecting health and education services.
“They are operational when power is supplied, the vocational school, Porgera Technical Vocational School, has been closed because there is no operational support especially with fuel for generators for practical appliances,” he said.
“Paiam Town was on the eve of closing so Barrick rescued the hospital with K800,000 for the remaining months of the year.
He said law and order issues were on the rise.
“The fight at lower Porgera eventually set foot at Mungelep SML and LMP area of different clans, the SDA Church pastor’s house was burnt down,” Pakea said.
“As a government of the people, the state cannot reject minor players too.
“They are people who have equal rights that need to be protected, participated and attended to.
“We cannot run a collision marathon on our way to take back PNG, it needs inclusion to make this vision work.”
2 comments
Porgera Mine operated for 30 years already. After all this year’s, has Porgera really changed to to reflect what it is? If not , then let the Government take control of it and we all can benefit . OK Tedi has changed but as for Porgera is a sorry stage . The so called landowners will never change Porgera as it is always a tribal battlefield. There are no Leaders and there are no accountant’s there who can manage the small fundings in order to change Porgera to a morden City. Can one of of the Leaders in Porgera stand out and say you have a vision to develop Porgera and make changes.?
Sorry Brothers and Sisters ,let us leave it to our Government to bring some changes to development of beautiful Porgera Valley.l
The events unfolding in Porgera have developed over time. Some, if not most, will take unprecedented level. Assumption that all that is happening due to mine closure is fundamentally wrong. Social and community structure in the valley has been chaotic all along followed by provision of poor basic services. While the PNG Govt is doing what it can to take back our resources, people of Porgera especially the leaders need to take charge and change, pave way for positive changes more than crying wild as if they have been treated like kings and queens in the prior years. People must be the change people wish to see in the Porgera valley. When life knocks you down, stand back up. What matters is not the bad that happened, but what one does thereafter. The State is on the uncharted waters at this time of global pandemic. People of Porgera need to help out themselves rather than calling for hand out, like Mr Pakea is doing.
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