By CHRISTOPHER YANDAWAI
TELEFOMIN district of West Sepik Province will never be the same again as it has for the first time since independence, started to embrace a wave of government service delivery.
Since becoming a district, Telefomin has had no road access and this has imposed a challenge for the current local Member of Parliament and Minister for Works and Highways, Hon. Solan Mirisim, as he seeks to distribute government services to his people.
Despite no road accessibility to move building materials into the Telefomin station, under Mirisim’s prudent leadership, the district has received a fully powered two-story Telefomin District Development Agreement (TDDA) Office Complex.
The office complex, named as “Wesano Iwoksim Haus” in memory of the first MP for Telefomin, Hon Wesano Iwoksim, was officially opened by Minister Mirisim on Monday November 18, 2024.
The opening ceremony was witnessed by high-level government delegation led by Hagen Open MP and Minister for State-Owned Enterprise, Hon. William Duma.
Vanimo-Green MP and Minister for Culture and Tourism, Hon. Belden Namah, West Sepik Governor, Tonny Wouwou, and Western Highlands Governor, Wai Rapa were also on the ground to witness the opening ceremony.
Other dignitaries include; Managing Director, Retail Banking BSP Financial Group, Mr Ronesh Dayal, Tumla Investment Managing Director, Mr Irad Nati, representatives from OK Tedi Mining Limited OTML Landowner group of companies.
This new building houses new BSP hybrid branch, District Treasury and Executive Office for TDDA staff.
The entire building is now in operation with the people of Telefomin for the first time since independence accessing all banking services at door step.
Following the opening the of the BSP branch, Minister Mirisim performed first withdrawal transaction of K1000 using one of the two ATMs.
He also deposited first K100, 000 cheque to a Youth Ministry’s account for their upcoming conference to be held in Telefomin station in three weeks time.
This signifies that people of Telefomin will have access to ATM service, cash and cheque deposits, including other banking services such as opening of new accounts and SMS banking.
Tumla Investment Limited (TIL), a local contractor engaged by the Telefomin District Development Authority (TDDA), delivered this building within three (3) years through the use of air transport in transporting all the necessary building materials.
Another notable major project that is nearing completion is the Tabubil-Telefomin-Urapmin-Oksapmin-Kopiago missing link road.
This missing link road is a brainchild of current Telefomin MP. This road reaches Wara Sepik already and is progressing smoothly to reach Telefomin Station by or before April next year (2025).
When this road reaches Telefomin station, it will spark increase in other basic service delivery, including many spin-off business activities.
Telefomin people were denied services such as these in the last 49 years, although the district had six (6) other successive Members of Parliament who came before the incumbent Member, Hon. Solan Mirisim.
Credit to the current seventh Telefomin MP for rewriting a new chapter of the district within his three (3) terms in office.
Mirisim is not delivering these projects by fluke but following his long-held dream of reforming the district one day.
When first assuming office after the 2012 National General Elections, Minister Mirisim waisted no time in prioritising Tabubil-Telefomin road, a dream road which many said it will never get materialised.
They say dreams are free and anyone is able to dream about whatever he or she desires, however, only few can attain the pinnacle of their imaginations.
Even our elected Members of Parliament (MPs) have big dreams about what they want to achieve or deliver for their constituents, however, it boils down to how they play their cards.
This includes putting people first in the line of their duties and being optimistic about succeeding, achieving and fulfilling their goals.
In many instances, we perceive our MPs not doing enough to deliver vital government services that we deserve as the voters.
One may say it could be because of not enough funding from the government or unequal distribution of District Support Improvement Programme (DSIP) funding, Provincial Support Improvement Funding (PSIP) funding or other development grants.
To Mirisim, dreams are worth fulfilling, mountains are seen as valley, and so he started chasing his dream with cheer determination. He is about to see his dream come to a reality!
While awaiting his brainchild road to reach Telefomin Station, the local MP has already embarked how he can turn the district headquarter into fully functioned town.
As a result, the TDDA has engaged engineers who are already on the pre-planning stage of the Telefomin township project to ensure the district is fully functional with all necessary government facilities.
The township project is currently being undertaken by an engineer, surveyor and lands officer engaged by the TDDA, with the town sealing contracted to China Railway.
The recently opened Wesano Iwoksim Haus, which houses the new BSP hybrid branch, was a project that was running parallel with township pre-planning project.
This project (BSP hybrid branch) is one of the mega project initiatives of the local MP in partnership with OK Tedi Mining Limited (OTML).
The project was successfully delivered following its initial launching in 2020 by the former BSP Chief Executive Officer, Robin Fleming and Minister Mirisim
Minister Mirisim while highlighting the importance of this infrastructure stated that more of such building will follow suit once the road connecting Tabubil-Telefomin is connected by Aprill next year (2025).
“We will continue to put up more building in the years ahead,” he said.
The Tabubil-Telefomin-road is one of the priority missing link projects under Marape-Rosso Government’s flagship Connect PNG program.
