07/11/2023
REAL ISSUES WE ARE FACING IN OUR CITIES IN PNG
Urbanization
Urbanization is simply the increase in percentage of urban population when a country is going through development stages. The two main cause of urbanization in PNG are FULL factors and PUSH Factors
When urbanization occurs it comes with a range of effects including economic, political, social, cultural and environmental factors. There is always consequences either positive or negative falls on the people economic, social life of current and future generation.
Today our cities especially Lae and Port Moresby from my observation currently facing a real problem of urban development planning. The classic examples are Lae main Market and Gordon’s market In POM with no proper bus- stops. Taxies and buses creating bus tops all over the place. Today town planning authorities sees that no spaces available to create bus tops and market extension because they gave permission and approved business houses to build stores and supermarkets very close to market which they should reserve some of the land for future use. In reality number of vehicles increases daily buses, taxies, hire cars, company trucks, and private cars new cars being imported while we all access the same road just image 10 years from now how it will be?
I asked a question to a Physical Planning officer at Department of Lands & Physical Planning about access roads and he said all access roads and flyovers bridges were already been surveyed and in the implementation plan but lack of government funding. I also did a presentation at Lands Department in the physical planning section about the topic “IMPROVING URBAN DEVELOPMENT PLANNING IN THE CITY’ I was highlighted some of the current issues in the city such as traffic congestion, lack of access roads, lateness to arrive at workplace and not resume duties on time, students arrive late to classes and my main talk was about improper urban development planning in the past which causes the current issues. Improper urban development planning leads to inadequate infrastructure services, unsafe housing, and poor distribution of health and education services. Factors like land use buildings and transportation all affect how urban areas are planned
Again in Lae we sees development moving towards the Miles area because in the Lae Urban Area all the commercial lands are fully occupied. In Port Moresby we sees eviction demolition of properties taking place in urban areas because land is needed for development. All these things happening because of urbanization taking place and lack of proper urban development planning.
If the government and higher authorities are not taking this into consideration in the future there will lot of issues in our cities. Urbanization is uncontrollable because we in the freedom country and constitution provides for freedom of internal movement, foreign travel and emigration so only way is to provide the solution.
IF INDEED TO PROVIDE A BETTER LIFE AND BETTER CITY FOR FUTURE GEBERATION WE CAN’T IGNORE THE QUALITY OF ENVIRONMENT LEAVE THEM.
By: Eliab Sangundi
