East Sepik Province

STREIT info sesson in Maprik

The session aimed to provide an overview of the support available and encourage community members to submit proposals.

Ali Said Yesuf, Programme Coordinator for the EU-funded STREIT Programme in Papua New Guinea, emphasized the objective of improving livelihoods within the community. He assured participants that all reasonable proposals would be considered for support.

Dr. Pavel Burian, Deputy Programme Coordinator, elaborated on the types of assistance offered through the STREIT Innovation Fund.

ESP’s cycling movement

With 140 registered members, the youth keep themselves busy by engaging in community work and conducting awareness on trending matters such as violence and COVID-19.

Speaking at Windjammer Beach, spokesperson Jethro Ani, who hails from Dreikikir, said first and foremost, their dream is to host a bicycle workshop.

Lelang calls for emergency relief

Four people are reported dead with many homes destroyed in the magnitude 7 quake.

Mr Lelang said there must always be emergency funds available and the National Disaster and Emergency Services must be fully equipped to deploy at a moment's notice.

“This country sits on the Pacific ring of fire. It is prone to volcanic eruptions and earthquakes. 

“Large rivers and high rain fall result in flooding and land slips which has happened numerous times.

“The government must ensure NDES is able to respond in the shortest time to disasters.

Papua New Guinea East Sepik province hit by 7.1 magnitude earthquake, three dead

Key points:

  • Witnesses said people required medical attention and dozens of houses collapsed
  • Korogu resident Colles Pinga said three houses had collapsed in his village, north of the epicentre
  • The Natural Disaster Centre's Colonel Carl Wrakonei said the earthquake had impacted all six districts of East Sepik

The quake hit the remote Chambri Lake, south-west of Wewak, at a depth of 60 kilometres, just after 4am on Monday.

ESPG to take over PPL in province

Minister for International Trade and Investment and Yangoru-Saussia MP, Richard Maru, revealed this during the opening of the new East Sepik Provincial Specialist Hospital in Wewak yesterday.

“We have world-class equipment, very special equipment in this hospital,” he said.

“Continuous blackouts will result in all these equipment being destroyed.

“I know we’ve got generators but that won’t be good if we continue to have blackouts.

“So East Sepik needs a power solution and it needs it now.

State-of-the-art ESP hospital opened

East Sepik Provincial Health Authority CEO, Mathew Kaluvia, said the then Boram General Hospital was built by the colonial administration in 1961.

The state-of-the-art facility was built by VAMED, global provider for hospitals and other facilities in the healthcare sector.

“Since 1961 to 2019, there has not been any single maintenance program undertaken by the hospital,” said CEO Kaluvia.

“The hospital's physical infrastructure has deteriorated over the years which hindered effective service delivery to the people of East Sepik.

Yangoru Mobile Barracks progressing

Yangoru-Saussia MP and Minister for International Trade and Investment, Richard Maru, said this is an important aspect of the work that needs to be completed in the next three months, and despite continuous rain slowing progress of the work it is continuing.

Mr Maru said he is hopeful that the Yangoru-Saussia Police Mobile Barracks will be up and running by this year, as major roads and drainage work around the premises commenced last week.

Two arrested for drugs and guns possession

Mr Tamari said the suspects were caught with the drugs in a house in Musungwil Village, Drekikir LLG. The drugs were neatly packed and ready to be transported to Vanimo in Sandaun Province, and then onto Jayapura, Indonesia.

PPC Tamari said one of the suspects escaped while two were caught and transported to Maprik Police Station, where they are now being detained.

Murder suspect captured

The suspect was alleged to have killed Nigel Hovi following an ongoing feud.

On February 12 the suspected murderer was caught and handed over to police by Mr Wafi and this prevented further fights in the area.

It was reported that the deceased was attacked by two suspects and sustained cuts to his body. Wewak Police stated that Hovi was hit by an oncoming vehicle while he was staggering on the road trying to seek help. The deceased was taken to Boram General Hospital but was pronounced dead.

Agri program continues to deliver

By December 2022, the programme reports that they have supported farmers in Ambunti-Drekikier, Angoram, Maprik, Wewak, Wosera-Gawi.  

These support included 1286 cocoa farmers with the distribution of 84,299 cocoa pod borer (CPB) tolerant seedlings whilst supporting 586 vanilla farmers with the distribution of 10,000 quality and healthy vanilla vines.

In addition, the programme supported 150 inland fishers with the distribution of 800 fingerlings and built the capacity of 104 fishers in aquaculture/inland fisheries.