Youths upgrade road

By PETER WARI
THE daily struggles of walking miles to reach the main road to catch PMVs to access services from Ukuni in the Baiyer local level government of Western Highlands prompted youths there to upgrade their feeder road on Monday.
Led by University of Papua New Guinea final-year business management student Dan Noki and other tertiary, secondary and primary school students and the youths, the group started the road rehabilitation programme at 8am to 5pm.
Noki said it was better having the road repaired during the festive period and after New Year so people can start travelling to Mt Hagen market as it was opened last week.
He said everyone in the community contributed with wheelbarrows, spades, bush knives and light refreshments to finish off the day’s work.
“Western Highlands is the country’s agricultural hub because of its soil fertility and dozens of farmers grow vegetables and cash crops such as coffee on a larger scale,” Noki said.
“The road condition gives them limited choice to involve in small and medium enterprises (SME) and other activities though they have dreams to do something better.”
Councillor Andrew Kongi said there were about 10,000 people living in eight wards in the LLG and they walked between four and five hours to reach Rambunga Patrol Post where the main road was to catch PMVs.
“At the moment, our desperate need is the road as we know that other services will come when there is a better road,” he said.
Kongi said the people were thankful to the students who mobilised other youths to rehabilitate the road.
He appealed to the provincial government and Mul-Baiyer district development authority to improve feeder roads in the district.