PORGERA DISTRICT, ENGA PROVINCE, SUNDAY 25 APRIL, 2021 – Trading hours for businesses and public amenities like markets in Porgera District, Enga Province, is from 8am to 3pm daily.
And any non-Porgera person who has no valid reason to be in Porgera Valley, is being encouraged to leave the district.
These two are part of the 14 new measures that have been rolled out by the Porgera District Coronavirus
(COVID-19) Task Force Committee.
Although no case of COVID-19 has been reported in the district to date, the Committee took a proactive approach and came up with the 14 measures in efforts to combat the virus in the district.
As part of the Committee’s COVID-19 awareness efforts, on 23 and 24 March, 2021, a public address was conducted at several locations in the valley and the neighbouring areas.
These areas included Porgera Station, Paiam Township, and down the West Enga Highway towards the
Maip-Mulitaka Local Level Government (LLG) area, within the Lagaip/Porgera electorate.
Community-based Restoring Justice Initiative (RJI), continued its support for the Committee when it provided fuel to the local Police, so that the awareness efforts continue. Other stakeholders have volunteered and are supporting the awareness efforts as well.
RJI Superintendent, Rodney Pokalai said since the awareness on the measures were rolled out to the local community, there have been positive response all around.
“People are now seen wearing masks…not everyone but there is positive response, and businesses are closing between 3pm to 4pm,” he said.
While the 14-day nationwide isolation measure lapsed on 19 April, Porgera District will continue to observe the new measures for another two weeks, in line with the Enga Provincial lockdown measures.
The 14 COVID-19 new measures are:
- “No Mask, No Service “: Every citizen has to wear masks regardless.
- Social Distancing – Every person to stay 1.5 or 2 metres apart.
- Daily business operating hours – strictly 08:00am-03:00pm.
- Business houses to provide hand wash resources at the
entrance points for customers to use (like hand sanitizers).
- Every day, every time, everywhere, hand washing procedures must be
followed.
- Public Motor Vehicles (PMV) and light vehicles (LV) passenger management;
- 25 Seater Bus – strictly 15 passengers.
- 15 Seater Bus- strictly 8 passen
- Ten Seater/Ute – strictly 5
- No increase in bus fares.
- Any PMV/LV owners misbehave, report them at the nearest Police
Station.
- 7. Maip Boom Gate Check Point daily lock time is 7.00pm.
- 8. Encourage non-Porgerans with no business are requested to leave
Porgera District.
- Awareness campaign to be enforced at Home.
- Church and funeral gatherings ensure to follow COVID-19 measures
and protocols at all times.
- No selling of cooked food at public places/markets.
- No public gathering, including village court hearing, compensation, etc.
- 1 No hand shaking.
- Markets at Paiam Town and Porgera Station must strictly follow the daily business operating hours – 08:00am – 03:00pm.
Notices on the measures have been placed on public notice boards for the general public and copies have been distributed to businesses.
A basic hand wash station has been set-up at the Maip Boom Gate Check Point for Highway commuters.
Additionally, the Disease Control Unit of the
Porgera Urban Clinic started conducting temperature checks, towards late March this year.
Members of the Committee that have been carrying out the awareness include Porgera District Acting Administrator Jerry Maku and his staff, Porgera Development Authority (PDA) Acting Chairman Thomson Kulara, Porgera Police personnel, RJI, staff from the Clinic, and representatives from the Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) team from the Porgera Mine.
District Covid-19 Task Force Committee Ensure Virus Transmission is Minimized in Communities
Caption: Porgera Police Station Commander (PSC) Senior Sergeant Jack Kimala speaking to some members of the public at Porgera Station.
