Society commits K5,000 for roads

 THE Porgera-Paiela Coffee Cooperative Society in Enga has committed K5,292 to rebuild washed away bridges and culverts and fix the partly-eroded roads in the area.

Society chairman Nixon Pakea said the funding would be used to fix the roads and bridges in the Tipinini-Taiapoko area because people had been suffering for a long time.

The society wanted the people to venture into coffee production so that they could benefit when the Porgera mine ceased operations.

He said people from Tipinini-Taiapoko had been struggling to transport their produce to the nearest markets. That was why the society stepped in.

He said the society was undertaking a major rehabilitation, extension and marketing project to encourage farmers to begin work on the coffee project. 

“Strategically, to revive the economy after the mine ceases operation, we are working hard to make coffee become the next major source of income.”

He said Porgera was once declared a fighting zone because of reasons such as having no cash flow-generating avenue and drug-related issues.

Meanwhile, he also applauded the liquor ban in the district as it contributed to maintaining law and order.