Prime Minister James Marape this afternoon expressed sorrow and at the passing of Usino-Bundi MP and member of the PANGU Pati, Jimmy Uguro, who served as the Minister for Education in the Marape-Rosso Government until his untimely death.
In a media release this afternoon, the Prime Minister stated;
"My dear People of Papua New Guinea,
"It is with the greatest sorrow that I inform you of the untimely death of one of our sons and my Minister for Education, Honorable Jimmy Uguro.
"The late Minister Uguro was Member for Usino-Bundi and also a loyal member of my party, Pangu. He was on duty travel to East Sepik Province when he passed.
"I take this time to acknowledge his work, his exemplary work ethic, his passion and zeal to drive education, especially Flexible and Open Distance Education, of which he himself was a
product.
"To continue his own education, Honorable Uguro re-entered the system after finishing Grade 10. He matriculated and went to college to became an educationist.
"As an educationist and having seen the value of FODE, Minister Uguro pushed hard to have FODE integrated into our schools and properly operational to cater to our young people pushed out from the school system.
"He was also focused on our Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics (STEM) students receiving specialized training overseas to expand this field, and was instrumental in getting some of this work going as part of the reforms we are undertaking to restructure the Education system.
"Honourable Uguro was one of my good ministers.
"In my party, he was a very senior member; one of our loyalists who started the movement to form government in 2019.
"I extend my deep condolences to his family and relatives, his clan and tribe, friends and those close to him.
"Our Government gives its full commitment to ensure that the late Member is given due respect as accorded to a Minister of State, and that he is properly farewelled on his way to his resting place."