Women in rural districts want representative in Morobe assembly

WOMEN in the eight rural districts of Morobe want an assurance from Governor Ginson Saonu that they will have a representative in the provincial assembly (Tutumang).
Over the years,  past governments had appointed women from the urban Lae district to represent women in the province.
Therefore, women in the rural districts of  Markham, Menyamya, Bulolo, Finschhafen, Huon Gulf, Nawaeb, Kabwum and Tewae-Siassi feel they should have a voice in the provincial assembly.
Last Friday, women in Bulolo petitioned Saonu during the 25th conference of the Lutheran Church Mumeng district.
Menyamya women, with the support of MP Thomas Pelika, also petitioned Saonu after the election this year to have a rural women’s representative in the Tutumang.
Pelika said city women appointed as women’s representatives knew nothing about the pains and struggles rural women endured and never addressed their issues in the Tutumang.
The current women’s representative is Fungkec Samana.
Saonu said six provincial ministries were offered to the Anga region which included Bulolo-Wau, Watut and Aseki-Menyamya.
These include deputy governor Waka Daimon, Okam Paton (Mining and Petroleum), Noel Kipindu (Sports), Jeffery Tobias (Church Partnership), Roy Emias (Liquor Licensing) and Thomas Pelika (Lands and Physical Planning).
“Apart from the ministries, I also gave the women’s representative to Menyamya.  She is currently visiting districts to identify women’s groups,” Saonu said.
Tutumang clerk Wingkeo Waliong said that provincial executive council appointed women’s representatives while the church, business and community representatives were elected on the floor of Tutumang.
The Tutumang is yet to decide whether to maintain Nellie McLay (Business), Able Nablu (Community) and Ps Ba’afekec Bamiringnuc (Church) or appoint new candidates to be sworn-in
together with women’s representative.