Upgrading of the long-neglected Lumbi-Tutam Road in Lower Mendi area of Southern Highlands Province has been welcomed by communities served by the road.
Community leaders Job Wanpis of Yame village and George Rope of Tutam said their people greatly appreciated the K500,000 provided by Imbonggu government to carry out maintenance work on the road.
Messrs Wanpis and Rope said since the road was built during the former Australian colonial administration, there has never been any major upgrading work undertaken.
They said Pororo, Yame, Pape and Tutam communities greatly appreciated the current upgrading work.
“Mipela hamamas tru long wok nau long fiksim rot (We’re very happy of work taking place to fix the road),” Wanpis stressed.
Wanpis and Rope noted the government was facing low cash flow problems and money was not easy to secure.
They said in view of the current cash constraints, their communities were blessed with the project while many others elsewhere in other districts and provinces were not getting such financial assistance for vital road and other services.
The road serves Tutem, Yama and Pororo elementary schools, Pape Primary School, Tutem aid post and the Catholic mission station there.
As well, the road is used by people in border region of neighbouring Kagua district to come into Mendi and onto other places.
(A truck delivering iron roofs, trade store goods and other cargoes with passengers turning around at Tutam village as it cannot go further to Pororo and other villages due to on-going road works.)