Water goes to Minj town

By JAMES APA GUMUNO
THE residents of Minj in Jiwaka will soon have a water supply under a pilot urbanisation project.
The Office of Urbanisation on Saturday presented a cheque for K95,000 to Jogal Maintenance and Construction to survey and design a 3.5km water supply project from Gorgor creek, located north of Minj town.
This was a part payment. The balance of K95,000 would be paid after the completion of the project documentation in eight weeks.
Deputy director of the National Office of Urbanisation Daniel Gonno, Minj pilot project coordinator Lynne Towe and chairman of the of the Minj project Simon Hans were in Minj last Friday to make the presentation.
Gonno told the people who had gathered at the Minj station that this was an impact project and called for their cooperation.
He said the survey, design and costing work were important and they needed to have these documents in place before seeking funds to construct the water supply.
He said provision of water supply, better roads, land survey and allocation of allotment and sections for residential areas, commercial and recreational were some
of the requirements for the town.
Gonno said under the national government policy on urbanisation, they would try and develop Minj and appealed for the people’s support.
Gonno urged the contractor to carry out its task professionally.
He said Minj was one of the four pilot projects under the urbanisation programme apart from Tari in Hela, Faniufa in Eastern Highlands and Taurama in the National Capital District.
He said Minj was moving forward as the model project.
Hans said water was one of the many projects undertaken by the Minj pilot urbanisation project.
He said the other projects undertaken included the construction of a new double-storey head office building, 1.6km ring road in Minj town and road sealing.
He said the office building was almost completed while the ring road was still under construction.
John Koi Pundi, the mana­ging director of Jagol Maintenance and Construction, said the survey, design and costings would be completed in seven weeks.
Statesman Sir Tumun Dopura and other provincial leaders and youth representatives assured Gonno and urbanisation project staff that they were happy with the developments taking place and would continue to give their support.