The earth works for a new modern market at Holik Village in West Yangoru LLG of Yangoru-Saussia District, East Sepik Province has begun.
Local member and Minister for International Trade and Investment, Richard Maru said, “We are privileged to be situated along one of the busiest highways in the country - the Sepik Highway where we have people travelling between East and West Sepik Province and there is a lot of money flowing through this highway. To capture that, we need to build proper markets along the highway. The vision of the Yangoru Saussia District Development Authority (DDA) is to construct five new markets along our stretch of the highway.”
Minister Maru thanked the people of Holik and Yaraboim for making land available for the construction of a new market that will not only serve their villages but also the neighbouring villages.
“The DDA funded K50,000 for the initial phase of the project – the earthworks which is currently in progress. As soon as the earthwork is done, the land is leveled, and the design for the market is finalized then we will fund the actual construction of the market. The district plans to have this market completed as soon as possible because the people, especially the mothers have waited too long for it”, said Minister Maru.
Minister Maru added on saying, “We plan to build more new markets along the highway over the next four years to allow our people to access the markets to do business and to trade.”
Furthermore, Minister Maru challenged the two banks in the district, Bank of South Pacific (BSP) and the newly opened branch of the Women’s Micro Bank (Mama Bank) to look at appointing agents to operate inside these markets upon completion to provide banking and financial services to the people.