Roads open opportunities for socio-economic activities

HUNDREDS of people from Wabag in Enga are benefiting from six new roads built and maintained by local MP Dr Lino Tom.
The roads are Tumben ring road (7km), Wakemanda-Taitatenges (5km) road, Lakolam-Keas (5km), Tukusunda-Apanda (7km), Lai Bridge-Las Tonge (7km) and Muitaka-Kaiyamtok (20km).
Of the roads, only the 7km Tukusunda–Apanda road was upgraded while the rest were built.
Tom said apart from those, five others were constructed earlier, benefitting around 6,000 people.
“These road projects will create a path for other services like schools and health to reach the people and create socio-economic activities,” Tom said.
He said these were some of his commitments to Wabag.
Apart from the roads, about 6,000 people from Enga’s most remote part in Maramuni will also benefit from an Asian Development Bank (ADB)-funded K15 million health centre.
Addaipuan Kapakai, an elderly woman from Yaigand, thanked God for giving such wisdom to a leader (Tom) that he could help the people who were isolated from the rest of the province.
“I’m more thankful to God for giving Tom as Wabag MP because he can deliver what he has promised to us,” the woman said.
“Most of these services like roads we are seeing for the first time and this is what leaders should do.
“For the first time, I am able to travel by vehicle from Yaigand to Wabag.
“We used to walk with loads for about five hours to get on PMVs to Wabag town.
Jim Kasen, from the Anjen tribe, described it as a dream come true.
“We have been suffering for years.”