By GABRIEL KATUHO
THE youths of Binandere in Oro Province have completed a week-long training on Sports Invention program under the National Sports Foundation.
As part of the program, 16 youths and 4 ward councilors have been selected to attend the week-long training in Port Moresby.
Pangu Pati General Secretary and President of the Binandere Sports Association, Mr Dogimai Moris Tovebae said this initiative emanates from a “Gun Surrender” intervention that was carried out during the eve of last Christmas.
The gun surrender program was carried out in partnership with the Royal Papua New Guinean Constabulary (RPNGC) Southern and Northern Command.
The program saw between 300-400 guns surrendered by Binandere youths to Oro Provincial Police Commander.
Mr Tovebae and the leaders of the village wanted to find ways to keep the youths occupied so they organised initiatives to get the youths involved and do away with the antisocial behaviors.
“In recent weeks, I have spearheaded a number of initiatives primed to give the youths hope for their future.
“One of these is a Cocoa Seedlings Project where we are handing out 20, 000 seedlings to all the Wards in Tamata LLG of Sohe District.,” he said.
Tovebae said this initiative is currently being rolled out in 12 of the 17 wards in the Tamata LLG in partnership with the Sohe District Development Authority (DDA) and the PNG Cocoa Board.
He said it was during the gun surrender program that a sports intervention was suggested and the hierarchy of the PNG was invited to witness.
“After this batch, we want to continue to the second and third batch until we complete all our other remaining wards.
“Our Sports Invention program is also in line with the National Sports Policy 2020-2050 using the Go Rural to Go Global strategy.
“This is the template and the model that we’re developing through the partnership with PNG Cocoa Board, PNG Sports Foundation, RPNGC Southern Command, the Sohe DDA, Tamata LLG, and of course, the Pangu Pati Youth Wing,” the president said.
After the successful completion of the training, a certificate presentation ceremony was hosted last Friday.
The ceremony coincided with the launching of Binandere Sports Association.
Member for Popondetta and Minister for Administrative Services, Hon. Richard Masere expressed his appreciation to the youths and encouraged them to be good citizens through sports.
The participants who have come a long way to learn the most needed skills will take the skills and the newly launched Binandere Association back to their community and help nurture the youths to become better citizens and ambassadors of the society through sports.
