The rural electrification program is a must and the National Government must put down more money to look at supplying power to more rural areas in the country.
This is because the rural people are the backbone of the agriculture industry in Papua New Guinea.
Leader of the Opposition and Member for Aitape-Lumi, Patrick Pruaitch, said this at the launching of the K5 million rural electrification program for the villages surrounding Aitape after a long delay over landowner issues.
The project was initiated in 2009 for the surrounding villages of Aitape; from Taji airstrip on the East Coast of Aitape to Raiyu village and into Aitape town and further up to the West Coast of Aitape to the villages of Yakoi and Tepir.
Pruaitch said in 2009, money was made available to PNG Power to rollout the rural electrification project however, landowner issues with PNG Power hampered the program. After 10 years, the project will now go ahead.
He said people must understand that this is a major infrastructure program that will bring electricity right into their homes.
The district is now also seeing the road being sealed from Ulau to Paup, which will continue all the way to the township of Aitape.
Pruaitch said once the sealing of the road is complete, the program will go all the way to Matapu village bordering the East Sepik Province.
He added the villages of Matapu, Ulau, Suain, Yakamul, Puap and Lemieng will also have power to their villages from the East Coast side of Aitape. This will continue to the West Coast villages of Malol, Arop, Warapu and Sissano.
A new generator set was also purchased to boost power supply of electricity in the district by the Aitape-Lumi District Authority.