Villagers maintain road

 VILLAGERS at Nauti in Morobe take up their spades and knives every Monday to maintain the road leading to their homes.

They have been spending every Monday since July for community work on the access road leading to their village in the Upper Watut area of Bulolo district, Morobe.

The Nautis, as they are commonly referred to, are led by Maxwell Kipas and Naino Kwamio. 

The men clean the drains and the women clear the bush and grass on the roadside. 

The youths fill up the pot-holes with gravel and soil.

Youth leader Kotsi Kipas said it was time for a change in their community. 

“We have to change the way we’ve been doing things in the past and try to cooperate and work closely for our sake. 

“Like this road, it is a priority for us as we benefit from it so we must look after it,” Kipas said.

Morobe Mining Joint Venture Community Affairs manager Stanley Komunt praised the villagers for the initiative. 

“It’s important that we keep the road maintained as the government and company use this road often to bring services such as health patrols into the villages,” Komunt said.

He said money was allocated by the government under the special support grant for the maintenance of the Nauti access road. 

“There’s about K500,000 and the government, through the Morobe Projects Management Unit, will follow the normal process to find a suitable contractor to upgrade the drainage and road,” Komunt said.

Maxwell Kipas said the community could only do much. 

“What we also need is to widen the road in some sections and install culverts. 

“We can’t do these big jobs so we need the contractor to come and we’ll work together to carry out these improvements.”