Fly River provincial government commits K25m for El Niño drought relief
The Fly River Provincial Government has allocated K25 million from its internal budget to deliver emergency relief and maintain key supply lines across Western Province during the ongoing El Niño drought.
The Provincial Inter-Agency Disaster Committee confirmed today that the funds represent an independent commitment from the provincial government rather than external donor support or corporate contributions from Ok Tedi Mining Limited [OTML].
The disaster response funding will target three operational priorities:
- Distributing emergency food and water supplies to drought-affected communities across Western Province.
- Funding transport and logistics charters to reach isolated villages in Middle Fly and North Fly districts.
- Upgrading critical road infrastructure, including the Yetetkun Border Post Road and the Kiunga-Aiambak corridor, to keep transport routes open for essential goods and fuel shipments.
Under a strategic logistics framework directed by the committee, emergency relief supplies will be sourced directly from Port Moresby and transported via dedicated air and river charters through Aiambak and Tabubil.
Strategic stockpiles of essential food items and fuel will be maintained across regional hubs in Daru, Balimo, Kiunga, Ningerum, and Tabubil, with immediate distribution prioritized for North and Middle Fly.
The committee noted that pre-positioning supplies closer to vulnerable rural populations is designed to mitigate delivery delays, prevent local shortage-driven price spikes, and ensure supply continuity through the extended dry spell.
Chaired by the Provincial Administrator in his capacity as Disaster Controller, the Provincial Inter-Agency Disaster Committee includes representatives from the Department of Provincial and Local Level Government Affairs, OTML, and the Sustainable Development Program.