Preparations are underway for the establishment of the new Mamusi Yana LLG headquarters in Pomio District of East New Britain Province.
Mamusi Yana is among the five new LLGs in East New Britain. Of the five, two are in Pomio and three in the Gazelle district.
While work is progressing for the Mamusi Yana LLG at Mapuna ward, Inland Pomio LLG is in queue for its infrastructural establishment at Kapkena ward.
The three LLGs in Gazelle need to set up their headquarters in Reimber, Lassul and Toma respectively before the 2027 National General Elections, when the new electorate of Baining becomes effectivecomes on board.
The new Baining electorate would comprise of Inland Baining, Lassul and Open Bay Rural LLGs in Gazelle district and Sinivit LLG in Pomio district.
Mamusi Yana LLG manager Dominic Balrea said the contract for the LLG headquarters was awarded last year but road maintenance had to be done on the road access into Mapuna, to enable the contractor – Mengen Limited – to transport building materials to the site.
“The existing trunk road from Sivauna ends at Aona and then there is a turn off there to Mapuna,” Balrea said.
“It will take two weeks for us to attend to the potholes, while another contractor is laying gravel on the remaining one kilometre portion of the road.”
The site for the Mamusi Yana LLG at Mapuna ward was formerly a government Department of Primary Industry station that was left to deterriorate over the years.
“The Mamusi Yana LLG headquarters will go through phases of construction with the LLG office complex being the first and staff houses to follow, depending on how much funds are available. We are also looking at the power reticulation and water supply projects for the LLG,” he said.
Located in the hinterlands of Pomio District, Mamusi is a large area with its 15 wards scattered and in need of roads and bridges.
There are currently two main road upgrading, with Ragalona to Maito then to Serenguna for communities in the Mamusi 1 area, while for Mamusi 2, the road begins from Rano to Sivauna and then to Aona.
Two main roads are currently being upgraded. The first of which runs from Ragalona to Serenguna and services the communities in the Mamusi 1 area while the second road, used by people in Mamusi 2, runs from Rano to Sivauna and then to Aona
“In terms of how people generate their family income, the people of Mamusi are growing coffee and cocoa, as well as fresh produce. We have supplied fermentaries to a few communities. But once the road constructions are completed with the LLG headquarters, people should have more access to government services,” Balrea stated.
It takes four hours for people travelling on a vehicle from Aona to Palmalmal while it would take a day or two to travel on foot.
Balrea further said with the road access, women can bring their food produce to markets at the Drina Palm Oil campsite and Palmalmal township.
While preparations are underway for the construction of the new LLG headquarters, Balrea said his officers have been using a makeshift office along the coast at West Pomio LLG, and have been assisted with a vehicle to do their programs into the hinterlands.
The Mamusi Yana LLG Headquarters is being constructed under counterpart funding from the Pomio District and ENB provincial Services Improvement Program (SIP) and is expected to be completed later this year.