Duma presents K110,000 to Jika Kwipingal Tribe

Petroleum and Energy Minister William Duma on Saturday presented K110 000 to the Jika Kuipingil Tribe at Kontkona village in the Mt Hagen electorate to complete a self initiated rural electrification program.

While presenting the cheque, Mr Duma who is also the local Hagen MP commended the educated elites of the tribe to have rallied their people behind them in making the project a community initiative and having completed the main three phase electrification program right to the border of Mul-Baiyer electorate.

Peter Miti (left) and his friends have given Minister Duma a King’s welcome at the Kontkona Lutheran Church in the Hagen Central electorate on Saturday

He said the tribe was the first to be the recipient of his 2009 K10million District Services Improvement Program budget because they indicated they were ready for his help.
"This is the first breakout from our K10 million DSIP allocation. We still have K9 890 000. This would be used in places where people indicate they really need such support and take ownership of projects," Minister Duma said.

The Minister who also received a lot of accolades from the local Jika leaders for taking a leading role in LNG Projects said the country was on the verge of major development boom and the Jika Kuipingil tribe was fortunate to have brought in electricity into their area without government support.

The local tribe took the initiative after a K3million designated for rural electrification projects in the province was thrown elsewhere following a change of government at the provincial level some years ago.

Local leader and Businessman Bafike Roika who took the lead in initiating the project, brushed aside wide spread rumours in the electorate that he was contesting Mr Duma in the 2012 election.

Meanwhile, the Minister said Western Highlands, strategically was an important province with the upcoming LNG projects and called on the people to make use of their land to participate in the major developments that would boom.

"There are a lot of changes coming into the region and country and we should be prepared for them." Minister Duma said.

By Johnny Poiya of the Post Courier based in Mount Hagen, WHP, PNG.


*** Iam happy to see that basic services are slowly but gradually reaching our grass roots people. Duma had fulfilled his promise when he reached our village during his campaigns in 2007.

The power project in our village was initiated by Tiri Kuimbakul and was supported by our local businessman Bafike Roika and councillor Tamai Yok and other community leaders in the village. Actually, the event took place right in front of my house.

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