Yangoru-Saussia launches housing scheme to benefit community

By GYNNIE KERO
TWELVE families in Yangoru-Saussia, East Sepik, have become the first lot of beneficiaries of the district’s housing scheme launched on Tuesday.
Speaking at the Baimuru station on Tuesday, local MP Richard Maru said the 12 families had met the requirement by establishing housing frames.
As a result, he said the Yangoru-Saussia development authority gave them 366 sheets of 14-foot roofing iron.
Maru highlighted that past governments did not have rural housing policies and the district was trying to bridge that gap by introducing this housing project.
“The soft launch at Baimuru today (Tuesday) became necessary as the 12 families who organised themselves had their house frames already up and further delays would result in rotting timber,” he said.
The official launch of the village housing scheme (VHS) is scheduled for Sept 16.
“The VHS is our long-term intervention to empower and incentivise our people to improve their living conditions, particularly their dwelling places by replacing traditional houses with modern houses,” Maru said.
“We are progressively transforming our rural district with the aim of enabling our people to enjoy necessities enjoyed by people in urban areas, and make our district attractive for investment, business and education and also reduce rural to urban migration.
“The district board has approved K500,000 in the 2020 Budget for the VHS.
“I encourage you (the people) to organise yourselves – by communities – and make use of this opportunity,” Maru said.
“Lay off cultural commitments like bride price and ‘kastom wok’ and invest in building modern houses.”
“This is a 10-year programme aimed at incentivising our people and encouraging them to improve their dwelling places.
“We will assist families who take the first steps in building the frames of the houses irrespective of their political affiliations.”
Maru told them to be positive.