Foe leaders raise concern over threats by Poroma locals in SHP
Representing the multi tribes of Foe locality in Kutubu, Southern Highlands Province (SHP), Foe Association Chairman and Managing Director of WB Group of Companies Mr. Johnny Yawari has called on local MP for Nipa Kutubu and Minister for Defence Hon. Dr. Billy Joseph’s intervention on illegal road blocks conducted by Poroma locals in the electorate.
Mr. Yawari raised his people’s concerns by urging the concerned locals in his electorate to respect rule of law, following multiple threats and cyber bullying issued by a self-vested ethnic group in Poroma Local Level Government.
This announcement was made clear, following consecutive road blocks by few locals along the main Poroma-Kutubu Access Road, as well as attempting to hold people on ransom, following demands of money which the chairman labelled it as falsified claims.
The chairman also clarified that if anyone has any outstanding issues with the people of Kutubu, he urged them to follow formal processes rather then resorting to taking law into their own hands.
Mr Yawari further explained that the consistent road blocks by the perpetrators is unlawful and that all claims made regarding outstanding service providers’ bills are fabricated because all bills were settled on several occasions many years ago.
Yawari further clarified that the Foe people have paid huge sum of money to the same claimants, following persistent complaints pertaining to the outstanding bills, including a legacy issue that has been long standing by his late father.
In 2013, Yawari stated he made an initial payment of K8,000.00 to Joe Reto from Poroma relating to the same unsettled service providers’ bills. In 2016, Yawari stated that a K130,000 was paid to the Poroma people, comprising K100,000.00 for outstanding services bills which was received by local business man late Bamu Ramu and K30,000 for Poroma youth’s moral support, which was received by Douglas Tungi in the stead of the youths. The payments were made eight (8) years ago.
As of today, neither Yawari nor Kutubu people has any debt outstanding with the Poroma people.
The same people who reside along the Poroma Kutubu Access Road are known for multiple unlawful conducts, including the kidnapping of Kutubu’s prominent politician and community leader, Kossy Sosoro, who was held on ransom by the same group in 26th March 2022. Sosoro was held captive against his will for some days until he got released once ransom payment was made to his kidnapers.
On Saturday, 4th January 2025, the people of Foe and their leaders made K120, 000.00 compensation to the family of late Constable Yenuwe Manaki to maintain peace, unison and prevalence of justice.
Despite settling all falsified and inflated claims with huge sums of money, Johnny Yawari and the people of Foe were relentlessly threatened, harassed and cyber bullied by these self-vested people in Poroma through multiple menacing social media posts, false accusations, including a video recorded and circulated over the past week.
In addition, the group has demanded and issued an ultimatum for Mr. Yawari to pay them an unjustifiable sum of money, stating that failure to comply will result in the resumption of road blocks to the people of Kutubu Local Level Government.
However, the Chairman clarified that Foe people’s compliance to forged prerogatives on all instances in the past was purposely intended at upholding peace and stability in the electorate and among tribesmen, mostly emphasizing on unity and oneness.
The continuous claims by this certain group of people who reside along the Poroma Kutubu Access Road is condemned by Johnny Yawari as untruthful and daunting, as it deprives the democratic rights of the people of Kutubu from accessing rightful government goods and services in Mendi and Mount Hagen, WHP.
Therefore, the people of Kutubu request immediate intervention of the Southern Highlands Provincial Police Commander and Nipa Kutubu District Development Authority on this matter, so that law and order is maintained at all cost throughout Nipa Kutubu and SHP.