A local consulting firm has praised the Microfinance Expansion Project implemented by the Bank of PNG.
Horizon Consulting director, Rex Tawian, said the project gives locals the knowledge to improve their lives but to also learn to protect their resources.
He said this during the graduation of 3,005 participants under the financial literacy training program at Vanimo Town, Sandaun Province.
Tawian said the training was crucial for the locals to use their money wisely.
The district had many opportunities through many logging operations however, the people continue to suffer.
“I have travelled this district many times and I’ve seen after so many operations and after so many timber companies operating in this province, we have nothing to show for. There is absolutely nothing in our province.
“That is why this financial literacy is very important for our province, our people, our families, and in fact for this reason.
“There’s a lot of people who don’t know how to negotiate properly with their resources, with investors who come into the province and our country. We just squander because they give us beer, money and women, and therefore we squander everything without sustainability, without reason to live in our province.”
Trainee Moses Opiba said the people are proud to have received the training as it ensures they are able to look after their families well.
He also issued several challenges to the provincial governments and the stakeholders to improve the lives of the people.
“Think about us. Think about what we are going to do for our livelihood. This is the challenge to the Sandaun Administration.
“Also, to our district administration, we are also putting this challenge to you, whatever you are doing, your target is the lives of the people.
“Also challenge goes to the government entities, NGOs who are here working together to bring forward this development, to make sure the people are literate financially to look after the livelihood of their family is more important than any other aspect of life.”