Western launches five-year development plan

THE Western government’s five-year development plan was launched to address some of the development challenges in the province.
Western Governor Toboi Awi Yoto said the plan was focused on three pillars; education, health and agro-business. And would set the foundation for a better society.
Yoto said the plan was in line with Prime Minister James Marape’s vision of regaining control of the country and empowering the people.
He said Western was the largest province in land area making the delivery of services a big challenge.
“You can fit the whole of the Highlands region into Western and that is how big the province is,” he said.
“It gives me and my provincial government the toughest challenge to delivery services effectively as the people are scattered all over a large area.”
He said the province’s development indicators were low because of its size with many communities living in isolation.
Yoto said the province’s leadership needed to be united and a concerted effort had to be put to improve the people’s lives.
He told Marape that any funds that belonged to the people of Western needed to be made available for his administration to benefit the province.
Yoto said the funds included: The community mine continuation agreement and non community mine continuation agreement funds as well as the PNG Sustainable Development Programme funds parked in Singapore.