Western province submits SOE proposal

The Western Provincial government is calling on the national government to immediately declare State of Emergency in the province.

This urgent cry for help follows severe impacts of El Nino affecting a population of over 300-hundred thousand and more than 65-thousand households.

Water sources and crops have dried, leaving the people dying of starvation and battling with skin diseases as a result of the prolonged dry spell.

Being a landlocked province, their only access through the Fly River is cut off when the water level dropped, making is impossible for ships to deliver goods and services as well as medical supplies and threatening the lifeline of the Ok Tedi Mine.

With full endorsement from the four district MPs, the SoE proposal was formally handed over to the Minister for Health, National Emergency and Disaster Dr Billy Joseph, last night in Port Moresby.

The proposal also called for the National government to negotiate with the Indonesian government to open up the border post so people can have access to goods and services from Jayapura and also make it accessible for the OK Tedi mine to continue its operations.

When delivering the proposal, Governor Taboi Awi Yoto noted that a K25-million support funding set aside by the provincial government has been paid to suppliers of essential food supplies and water, however delivering the supplies to the people remains a challenge.

The province is calling on the government, development and bilateral partners for immediate assistance in getting the critically needed supplies to the people.

Minister Joseph received the proposal and assured the leaders that a SoE declaration is possible given the circumstances surrounding the province, however the National Executive Council will deliberate on it and respond at the soonest possible.

Meantime, the respective district MPs are delivering much needed relief supplies to the people with whatever little funding they have available.