The people of Yangoru-Saussia District in the East Sepik Province celebrated the launch of the Womayen Market project recently which upon completion will be the first ever 24-hour market in the history of PNG and the first in the South Pacific Region according to UN Women. Minister for International Trade and Investment & Yangoru-Saussia MP, Richard Maru said the Womayen Market would be a national asset upon completion because it would not only serve the people of Womayen and the Yangoru-Saussia District but also those from other districts in the East, West Sepik Province, and all travelling public along the Sepik Highway. “This market will operate 24 hours which means there has to be proper electricity and water supply system, a police station so our mothers and girls are safe, a guest house for the mothers travelling from afar to rest in, banks, ablution block, an office, a car park, and other essential facilities.” The first phase of the Womayen Market Project will be the building of the bore water supply system by Adventist Development and Relief Agency (ADRA) to supply water to the market and to all the families in the Womayen Village. PNG Country Director for ADRA, Mr. Darren Yorio announced at the launch that work on building the water supply system will commence next week. “We will start next week with our team moving the drilling machine for the bore water supply system.” “From the bore the water will be fed into a tank where it will be treated before being supplied to the market and to every household in the Womayen village through the bore water reticulation system.” “The water supply system should be completed within six months,” said Mr. Yorio. While the water supply system is being constructed, the design work for the market will commence. Maru said, “I will take representatives from the Womayen Village to see the designs and the operations of Gordons Market, Kimbe Market, and Kokopo Market so they can get some ideas and also be involved in the design of the Womayen Market because they know their own market needs and will have to agree and have an input on the design, they want for the Womayen Market.” An Australian company will be engaged to design the market as it has to be a design for a world-class market. “We will be engaging an engineering firm that has been involved in the design and project management of Gordons Market, Kimbe Market, and other markets in the country.” Another important development partner of the Womayen Market project, the UN Women will take care of the “soft” part of the project which includes providing training on the proper management of the market to make it a safe and sustaining project. The Head of UN Women PNG Country Office, Ms. Adekemi Ndieli said, “85% of people in any market in PNG are women and that is why UN Women has worked in 14 markets in PNG including Wewak, Alotau, Kimbe, Goroka, Mt. Hagen, Wabag, Tari, Lae, Gordons, and now Womayen.” Markets are very important because that is where economic activities take place, and it is the root of development. UN Women is here to make sure that this market has the highest standard and everything works well.” Minister Maru urged the UN Women to start the training program as soon as they can. “I will be expecting the UN Women to start talking about the training program before we even start building the market - training on who will manage the market, how to manage it, the employment of youths to manage the market, the structure of the market, how the market can make money for its operations and to pay its employees, etc. Minister Maru who was grateful for this commitment said: “It will cost over K8 million to complete the Womayen Market project.” “The acquiring of the land on which the market will be built on, the earth works, and the water supply system have caused the Yangoru-Saussia DDA K2.5 million.” Minister Maru further appealed to the people of Womayen to take care of the market project, especially to look after all the contractors who will be working to deliver the project.