Woman wants to promotew cocoa farming

A WOMAN candidate contesting the Gazelle open seat against 23 men in East New Britain aims to see improvements in cocoa production and downstream processing.
Odelia Virua, who has settled in Tavilo, said she had been a cocoa farmer for more than 20 years.
She decided to run for parliament to push for improvements in cocoa production through various programmes.
She is also focusing on mothers and youths, two groups she thinks have been neglected for too long.
She said there was a greater chance for women and youths to experience changes in their livelihoods if they voted in a woman to parliament.
Virua said only a woman would understand them and their struggles better.
She said she was also keen on focusing on the environment and conservation as climate change had become a major international, regional and national issue.
She also said roads needed to be built and maintained especially in rural areas.
Virua wants to see road links in most rural areas of Gazelle district improved.
Virua said farmers in the rural areas had been crying out for proper roads to bring their produce to the markets.