Ward plans begin in districts

EASTERN Highlands Governor Julie Soso has mobilised the 264 local level government council wards to implement her “Kirapim Haus Lain” strategy to strengthen service delivery.
The first phase of “sensitisation and general awareness” is under way in rural districts.
It involves the participation of local level government presidents, ward councillors, LLG managers, leaders of the community, youths and women.
The bottom-up planning team,  headed by James Sakul and Johnny Perah covered Kainantu, Henganofi and Okapa districts. The team is now in Lufa district.
Sakul said the idea was to strengthen and empower ward development committees to accept and be responsible for development programmes and initiatives at the ward and LLG levels.
He said Soso had allocated K2.64 million to be distributed, and each ward would be receiving K10,000 for institutional strengthening and capacity building.
Sakul said the wards were required to establish development committees, profiles, minutes of meetings and their bank accounts.
“Soso made available another K2.64 million for the ward women’s associations.
The president of Agarabi LLG in Kainantu district, Punka Asoa Arufox welcomed the initiative, saying it had been long overdue. He said leaders at the community level had been ignored and were powerless.
Soso said 2014 was the year of implementation in which she would like to see the 264 wards and 24 LLGs accept changes and developments. Soso planned to visit the 264 wards and 24 LLGs to discuss their plans.