K3.3MIL WAPENAMANDA COMMUNITY DEVELOPMENT CENTRE TO BE BUILT NEXT YEAR

By Mortimer YANGHARRY

The Wapenamanda District Development Authority (WDDA) will commence construction of a K3.3M District Community Development Centre that is inclusive of a Safe House Facility.

WDDA already paid K1.70 million as counterpart funding to the Department of Community Development, Youth and Religion (DFCDR).

WDDA CEO Kevin Yati presented the cheque worth K1.7 million to the Deputy Secretary of the Community Development, Youth and Religion (DFCDR) Jack Simbou at the department’s headquarters in Port Moresby last week for construction work to immediately start early next year.

The Wapenamanda District in Enga Province will pilot the Safe House Concept for victims of all forms of violence following signing a Memorandum of Agreement with the Department of Community Development, Youth and Religion Secretary Jerry Ubase last month in Port Moresby to have the DCDC established.

Simbou mentioned that the next step is for the actual launching of the project early next year that will see the contractor starting construction work as soon as possible.

He sincerely acknowledged the foresight of Wapenamanda Open MP and Finance Minister Hon.Miki Kaeok in taking the lead in rolling out this vital project for the welfare of the vulnerable women, girls and children population of the district.

Deputy Secretary Simbou mentioned that Wapenamanda is one of the only four districts through the country to sign a Memorandum of Agreement (MoA) to have the District Community Development Center and the first district to honour its 50% counterpart funding component of K1.70 million for the actual implementation.

The Wapenamanda District Community Development Centre will cost an initial K2.5 million to build with the inclusion of the Safe House facility costing an additional K800,000 marking up the total to a K3.3 million social development project.

Minister Kaeok sincerely acknowledged the Marape- Rosso government through the Department of Community Development, Youth and Religion in providing a counterpart funding of K1.65 million to establish this much needed infrastructure in a region where gender based and sorcery related violence is prevalent but not reported due to cultural restrictions.

Photo Caption: Wapenamanda District Development Authority Chief Executive Officer Kevin Yati (right) presenting the K1.7 million cheque to Deputy Secretary of the Department of Community Development, Youth and Religion Jack Simbou at the DFCDR Headquarters in Port Moresby this morning.