Wards in NIP urged to drive growth

By ELIZABETH VUVU
NEW Ireland provincial administrator Florence Stocken is encouraging local level government presidents and ward members to help make the environment conducive for grassroots people to push development in their respective wards.
She said key people needed to help those in the wards push development by properly allocating and monitoring projects funded under the K400,000 provincial government allocation to LLGs in this year’s budget.
Stocken, who was speaking during the swearing-in of the central New Ireland LLG president Soka Toligai last week, said the provincial government was keen on supporting new and ongoing projects.
She assured Toligai of the provincial government’s support for new and ongoing projects in Central New Ireland including West Coast roads, Lelet roads, Boluminski highway sealing, road crossings at Karu, Lambuso and the ongoing issues on Simberi and Nautilus mining.
The swearing-in was held at Konos council chamber witnessed by 22 ward members, acting president Mamau Piris, and scores of people and traditional village chiefs were assembled for the historic occasion of swearing-in for a president elected in a by-election.
The Commissioner for Oaths Anthony Drett formally blessed the newly elected ward one member on Tabar Island Timothy Karas and the two appointed women representatives in the Central New Ireland LLG, Gorethy Agaum and Alberta Kilala.
Stocken said central New Ireland had received additional project assistance to education, health, churches and other community projects worth over K 740,000.
She said education was a priority absorbing K365,000, contribution to the churches was K205,000 and health projects received K120,000 with other community projects the balance.