Residents want Kaeok to fix roads

By GIBSON TORASO
UPNG journalism student
THE road from Mukurumanda to Tsak needs a major upgrade, according to teacher Aipal Minata.
Minata from Kwia in Wapenamanda, Enga province, was responding to media comments by Dailyo Kisa, on behalf of local MP Miki Kaeok, that the road was in good condition.
Minata agrees with public statements by residents Langa Kopio and Amos Taso that Kaeok had done nothing to fix the road.
Kisa said the critics were only trying to spoil Kaeok’s political career and his chances of retaining his seat in the general election.
He claimed that Kaeok had recently upgraded the Tsak road and those people complaining were not regular travelers on the road.
Minata said Kisa’s response was “completely rubbish” and that he was trying to cover up the deteriorating road condition.
He claimed three people had died and others had been hospitalised over the years in several accidents due to the deteriorating condition of the road.
“We are talking about a real situation that is claiming the lives of people and not playing politics here,” Minata said.
Another Tsak resident Sam Wambao claimed that Kisa was trying to cover up for Kaeok’s failure to fix the road.
He said it took four to five hours to reach Tsak and Wapenamanda.
He pointed out that there was no proof of the K1 million funding for the Tsak road upgrading. He suggested that  Kisa should have visited the road before going to the media.
“We are not relatives of any intending candidates nor are we trying to discredit him(Kaeok) as MP but we are expressing the real situation that is affecting us,” Wambao said.
Passengers are now paying more than K5 to travel to Tsak due to the road condition.