Gabadi

This week Minister for International Trade and Investment, Richard Maru received one of the first groups of investors, the Number one Filipino Rice Farmer, Danilo Bolos and accompanied his delegates of technical people to parts of Kairuku district to pursue rice-farming prospects. 

On Wednesday 25 January, the team of Members of Parliament including Richard Maru, Vice Minister Kessy Sawang and Member for Kairuku, Peter Isoaimo, visited possible rice farming land in Kairuku district. 

The investors arrived in the country this week to discuss ways and possibilities for advancing rice farming in the country. 

They want to establish an 800-hectare estate rice model farm and train and support local village out grower farmers under family owned or rice-cooperative farmers from Brown River to Vanapa and to Gabadi all the way to Bereina.

The Filipino investors’ plan for this Rice Nucleus Estate Model Farm that aims to set up rice demonstration blocks, a rice processing plant and farmer training facilities for out growers. 

 Roads have not been accessible for people in Kairuku, while some villages along the Magi highway, watched their houses being washed away.

Heavy rains have affected villages in Central province, with floods blocking off roads while food gardens and homes are submerged.

In Gaire village, people resorted to paddling on boats between houses after continuous rain saw a rise in the water level to above knee length.

Six houses were washed away in Gabagaba village, leaving families displacd. 

The clinic has been inactive since the month of June last year (2016).

In a recent visit to the village, the building, supposedly once housing medical supplies for the people of the Gabadi area villages, was seen to be mostly deserted.

Ward councillor Ambo Ao said both the clinic and the medical residential house were said to have gone under maintenance but work stopped due to lack of funding.

Since then, the building has been standing idle with no available service to the people in the Gabadi villages.

Joint Spokespersons, John Daroa and Rev. John Ovia in a media conference today thanked the Prime Minister for sidelining two of his ministers involved in the acquisition process and encouraged him to stick to his commitment in setting up the Commission of Inquiry (CoI) into the matter.

John Daroa said landowners in two separate letters this month raised their concerns with the Prime Minister over the allegations surrounding the compulsory land acquisition process of portions 154, 406, 421, 422, 423 and 424 of Manumanu (NE), Fourmil of Aroa, Central Province.

Central Province Pressure Group spokesperson, Lucielle Paru, says the land has been sold to people who had no right over it.

The meet was held to address the issue of the illegal land grabs that are taking place in Central and the recent land grab of Manumanu that had two high profile ministers step aside from their portfolios for allegations of involvement.

From Gabadi, Kairuku-Hiri, Paru said the land itself, as per the Defence organisation, is not suitable for a naval base and that it goes 10 kilometres inland.