Sepik man claims Daru mayor’s seat

 A SEPIK man has been declared the Mayor of Daru Town, in Western.

Samuel Wingu, from Baimuru village, in Yangoru, polled 1,208 votes to beat his closest rival who polled 991 votes.

Wingu had married a local woman and has become a well-known personality and resident in the town.

He said his win indicated that the 26,000 town residents wanted new leaders to bring development and investment to Daru.

“The population is increasing, the island is very small and the services like water and electricity established by the colonial administration cannot cater for the town residents,” he said.

“Western is the richest province in the country, has the largest OK Tedi mine and has been contributing more money to the national coffers than any other province since 1983. Yet Daru is the poorest of all the towns in the country. “

Wingu said he would work with Governor Ati Wobiro, North Fly MP Boka Kondra, Middle Fly MP Roy Biyama and the Fly River provincial administration to develop the town where the provincial headquarters was based.

“I will bring economic projects to improve the living standard of residents,” he said.

Wingu was formerly the Tamatai ward councillor in Daru. He had been tasked with his ward committee members to provide electricity and water to the Tamatai ward residents in the past five years.

His committee was tasked to build a courthouse for the Tamatai residents.