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Minister visits flood hit areas
By
PIUS MON
THE Minister for Provincial and Local Level Government Affairs Job Pomat and his Secretary, Mannasupe Zurenuoc were in the Western Highlands province to see for themselves the destruction by floods disaster recently. Governor Tom Olga, Provincial Administrator, Malcolm Culligan, who is also the Chairman of Provincial Disaster and the Provincial Disaster Coordinator Nop Amban took the Minister and the Secretary on a five hour helicopter tour, visiting all the affected districts of the province. Both the Minister and the Secretary have expressed sympathy for the affected people while assuring the provincial disaster team that funding will be made for relief assistance. They said that the K500,000 allocated will be made available on Monday for immediate relief supplies for the affected people in the districts. They also thanked the Provincial Administration and the disaster team for their prompt response with daily reports of damages which enabled the national disaster center to speed up relief assistance. Meanwhile Provincial Administrator Mr Culligan has urged all seven district administrators to assist the provincial disaster team and the administration to speed up relief assistance for the disaster affected people. Mr Culligan also warned that if his office does not receive any disaster related reports by the end of this week, all district administrators will be summoned to explain, adding that since the province was hit with disaster two weeks ago, no reports from the district has reached his office. He said only Dei district has come up with reported cases of flooding and landslide while other disaster stricken districts are yet to make formal reports on damages and what assistance was needed. A visiblly frustrated Mr Culligan added that all the seven districts have been affected by the recent disaster but the district administrators have been either sitting in their offices or driving around in town doing nothing. He added that he has even visited some severely affected districts himself and was surprised to see the amount of damages done affecting lives of people and the smooth flow of vital services. "Are they doing their work or driving around in town doing nothing, not knowing what is happening back in their districts" he questioned. Mr Culligan said only Dei District Administrator has reported on reports of disaster in the district while, Tambul/Nebilyer, Hagen Central, Mul/Baiyer/Lumusa. Anglimp South Waghi, North Waghi and Jimi Administrators are yet to make progressive reports to his office and the Provincial Disaster team. However, Mr Culligan thanked the Provincial Disaster team who has liaised with all of the disaster stricken districts to compile reports for the National Disaster Center as well as his office. The disaster team has visited almost all the affected areas accessible by road, assessing on the damages done and are continuing as more fresh disaster are reported. The Administrator also extended his appreciation to the National Government and the National Disaster Center for the prompt response with continuous financial assistance to help with relief operations. He said the K100,000 has already been exhausted, assisting affected people in the Kiending-Kondepina flooding, adding that the further commitment of K500,000 would now assist other affected areas of the province for relief supplies. The administrator also thanked the local member for Dei in assisting his people, adding that other local members of parliament should do the same as this natural disaster has affected all the seven districts of the province. A situation report, painting an overall image of the severity of damages done in the seven districts of the province, has been handed over to the Prime Minister this Wednesday during his transit while on his way to the NEC meeting in Wabga. The Provincial Disaster team with the Disaster Coordinator Mr. Nop Amban, along with logistic assistance from the Provincial Government and the Administration, has started working since the disaster strike from day one and are continuing. Mr Culligan also urged those affected areas to corporate with the provincial disaster team and the district administration to speed up the operation. |
NEWS
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