It has been an extraordinary challenging year for the district, province and country as a whole because of the COVID-19 Pandemic hitting the global arena and affecting the country’s economy. Nevertheless, the Member for Kikori and the board of Kikori District Development Authority and administration have been busy working to bring services to the district.
A lot has been achieved since the beginning of the 2020 and the Member for Kikori Hon. Soroi Eoe, has reflected on these achievements thus far and will be making major announcements when he visits the district.
Despite the COVID-19 restrictions the Member for Kikori and his administration was able to deliver funding assistance and COVID-19 PPE, medical supplies and equipment to health facilities such as Faia Health Post, Kikori District Hospital and Karati Health Post in the Kikori area. In the Baimuru District – Baimuru Health Center and Kapuna Hospital. and
The Member for Kikori, Soroi Eoe congratulated the incoming President of West Kikori, Hon. Buara Esega, MPA.
Hon. Esega is from the Goare Ward. He assumes the job as the West Kikori President after the former President of West Kikori Late Hon. Paul Dodobai passed away late last year prompting the District LLG to run a By-Election resulting in his nomination. We welcome him to the KDDA board.
Hon. Eoe also congratulates Heagi Luki of Apiope village. Mrs. Heagi Luki has been appointed as the new Women’s Representative for the Kikori District Development Board replacing the late Lina Ori who passed away this year as well leaving the vacancy in the board.
Hon. Eoe also is pleased to announce that the District Procurement Committee has been established. The DPC was previously non-extant until the National Procurement Commission was enacted in 2014, enabling districts to establish their own Procurement Committees.
The purpose of the DPC is to approve projects and publicly tender the projects in the district to the value of K2.5m. By doing this, it addresses the delivery of projects in a timely manner and also encourages transparency and good governance in the district.
Hon. Eoe says going forward, the KDDA is taking on the national government’s focus on strengthening MSME’s, as well as Agriculture support and he encourages his people to be innovative and work hard and take advantage of the governments support coming through in order to fully benefit.
Hon. Eoe will be visiting the district to do presentations and make announcements on the following:
- Announcement of K400,000 towards WASH projects. The project is to be carried out for Kikori Secondary School and Belepa area. Both projects would ensure clean water is supplied to the School and communities surrounding the Belepa/Hiloi area.
- Presentation of funds totalling K500,000 to be given to the following schools:
- Kikori Secondary School – K200,00.00
- Ihu Provincial High School – K200,00.00
- Don Bosco Technical School (Arai Miri) – K100,000
- Announcing the allocation of K1m support for agriculture projects. Part of this funding will be put towards Agriculture extension work. Farmers also are encouraged to submit their project proposals for funding various agriculture projects.
- MSME SUPPORT – Recognizing women as an integral part of change in developing communities is important. The Member for Kikori in the community economic change and Commitment of K500,000 for MSMEs in the district to assist in their businesses. This is part of the further COVID-19 stimulus recovery assistance given by the national government.
- Through the KDDA Board, gensets were purchased in late 2018. The gensets were delivered on-ground in 2020 and now funding has been secured to ensure connectivity is realized. This announcement will be made during his district visit.
- Announcement of K6m LEDL/IDG funds. Previously the monies went straight to the Provincial Government and never reached the district. The KDDA board has resolved that the KDDA would manage the funds through the LLGs. So affected landowners who want access to these funds need to submit project proposals through their LLG for KDDA consideration and approval.
- In Wabo the Member for Kikori will be presenting 4x Motors & Dinghies and announcing the rehabilitation of Wabo Health Post
- Hon Eoe will also do a presentation of funds for construction of bench-cut tracks in Foroba area in the East Kikori LLG then stop-over in Faia to launch Faia Sub-Health Centre Project.
- In Kikori government station, Hon. Eoe will present funding assistance to Kikori Secondary School and announce the short-term fuel assistance to Kikori District Hospital (fuel)
- Hon. Eoe will then travel to Baimuru to open new ward for Baimuru Health Centre, Police Station, upgrade of Baimuru Primary School to Baimuru Junior High School and announce the Electricity project.
- Member for Kikori Hon. Soroi Eoe will announce the K500,000 funding support for sporting groups in the district under the Ministry of Sports through the PNG Sport Foundation. Previously the KDDA board assisted communities in the Upper and Lower Ahia areas of the Ihu LLG to register their Sporting Associations with IPA. This was well received by the sporting associations from the area. So, following this, the Minister will address communities in the Ihu Station area & communities nearby. He will also do presentation of sports assistance to Upper Ahia Basketball Association, presentation of sports assistance to Momohobo Basketball Association, announcement of Belepa Water Supply Project, presentation of Outboard Motor/Dinghy and Community Health Post Materials and presentation of Financial Assistance to Ihu Provincial High School.
- The Minister will also address the Vailala East Villages & communities nearby and do presentation of sports assistance to Karokaro Touch Association & Lahoharapa Touch Association in the Ihu LLG.
- The Minister will also pay a visit to the provincial administration office and meet with the Provincial Administrator the Provincial Management Team/PEC and do a presentation of Ihu Special Economic Zone Project update.
Hon. Soroi Marepo Eoe will also announce the Prime Minister’s official visit to the district to launch the Ihu Special Economic Zone Project.
Hon. Eoe says “Prime Minister, Honorable James Marape has accepted our invitation to visit the project site to formally launch the project program, and will also officially open other completed projects by Kikori DDA”.
The Minister for Foreign Affairs and International Trade and Member for Kikori will be visiting his district in the next couple of weeks to make these important announcements and make presentations as well.
