Slowly but surely changing

RURAL FOCUS

By JINA AMBA
ON June 7 the people from Usino in Madang received much needed government services from the district development authority (DDA) under the leadership of local MP and Education Minister Jimmy Uguro.
The recently registered Usino Technical High School students and teachers were proud recipients of a new school truck funded by the Usino-Bundi DDA.
When presenting the truck to the school, the local MP and Education Minister Jimmy Uguro challenged the community to take look after government assets with respect and care.
“There is no easy way out in life, one must work and strive for the best. As for students, education is the way forward and it is also a lifetime investment.”
Uguro said it was his vision to promote and support education in his electorate.
“My plan is to bring change through education for my people especially the young ones; education is a lifetime investment.
“It takes you and me to work along with government plans and programmes and it requires us to take ownership of these developments.
“The Government expects us to take care of the education infrastructure and contribute to invest in education because it believes that it is the one true pathway for progress and transformation,” Uguro said.
He said educated people were need to lead and manage the country.
“We need educated minds to devise constructive polices to safeguard the nation’s interests and raise its socio-economic status. We need a huge reservoir of human resources and an educated workforce holding jobs and in offices in our country and not expatriates.
“This is the vision I am driving through the education ministry and it is in line with the Governments vision of an educated, wealthy and happy nation by 2050,” he said.
Uguro said education was a shared responsibility between government, school administrations and communities.
“Take ownership of educational institutions. Invest in education because the rewards and benefits far outweigh any other investments,” he said.
“As for service delivery, my plan is to translate my visions into tangible outputs,” he said.
School principal Benjamin Dalton thanked the MP for the assistance. The truck will help the school in logistical support.
Meanwhile, the agriculture sector in the electorate was boosted with the purchase of two motor bikes to help support the programmes.
Uguro has been taking part in planting budding cocoa in ward 32 of Usino LLG.
This is a DDA-funded programme under the Government’s price subsidy scheme.
“It is the Marape government’s interest to see that our people are economically independent by way of putting money into the pockets of our people,” he said.
Uguro said two cocoa farmers and trainers were currently on the ground assisting farmers in cocoa production.
Meanwhile, under the rural housing programme 11 wards in the Bundi and Usino received sawmills.
Uguro said the sawmills valued at K67, 000 would be used to cut timbers to compliment the Usino Bundi Gama rural housing programme.
He said the National Government gave K5 million and it went to the purchasing of roofing iron sheets which are on the way.
Uguro assured communities that did not received their shares of roofing iron that they will get their share soon.
Ward councilor Fred Maliupa thanked the MP and urged the communities to take ownership and look after properties with respect.
The MP also inspected the progress on the new Usino-Yal road.
The road is constructed in a way that it can withstand the weight of big trucks. Once this pilot track is completed, a proper survey will be conducted and a better road will be constructed thus opening way for traffic and commuters.
The road progress is now at Dumunba village. There is another eight kilometers before it reaches Madang.
Work progress is being hampered at times by continuous rainfall.
Uguro acknowledged the operator of the Ramu nickel/cobalt mine, Ramu Nico Limited for their continuous support in funding projects in his electorate.
Accompanying the MP was the district administrator and the district works manager.
Another project delivered was the water supply for Sankiang villages.
The people there are now be able to access clean water for drinking and washing.
The K300,000 water supply project is also funded by the Usino Bundi DDA.
Uguro said a local was engaged to provide water to the community in the vicinity of Ramu Agro Industries Ltd (Rail).
“It is the Government’s duty to provide basic services and we are rightfully doing that. Other big villages such as Bora and Bumpirupun will also be assiste,” Uguro said.
Uguro is confident that all communities within that vicinity would have access to water and appealed to the company (Rail) to also support the DDA in whatever ways it can.
Uguro said the water supply project started this year and would be completed next month.
The local MP wishes to do as much as he can through the DDA to provide services to his electorate and see changes in the electorate.
In other developments the first phase one of the rural electrification programme for Usino Bundi electorate in Madang has been commissioned.
It is part of a 10 km power line project starting from Walium to Usino station.
The commissioning will enable Usino station to access power straight from Yonki.
Government establishments like offices, aid posts and schools will be the first recipients of the power, to be followed semi-permanent houses.
In line with PNG Power regulations and policies only permanent and semi-permanent houses will have access to electricity; no bush material houses will be installed power.
This project is part of the rural housing scheme. The local MP has allocated sawmills to council wards to mill timber and there is also roofing factory at Usino station to supply materials for families to build decent homes.
Local MP Jimmy Uguro acknowledged the efforts of all the stakeholders involved in this project.
“As the local MP it is my duty to deliver basic services where possible and electrification is one of them,” Uguro said.
Uguro said the power connectivity will support small businesses to sell frozen goods and cold and drinks as well.
“I want aid posts to be lit up where patients can be treated in power light rather than torch lights. I want schools to access power instead of coming to town to print materials. It is my vision to see changes taking place. If my people are happy I am happy,” he said.
Aguilar Logistics Ltd has been awarded the rural electrification project under PNG Power Ltd supervision and inspection. Phase two of the project will soon follow.