Central Province

Central Police probe death

The incident occurred on Friday April 17 at Hisiu along the Hiritano highway.

PPC Central Chief Inspector, Tapp Opai, said a councillor and some villagers called the police when they found the bloated corpse lying in some Savannah grass beside the road.

Three young men in their early 20’s including the driver of a white Toyota Land Cruiser were reportedly traveling with the victim when he allegedly fell off the vehicle.

They are now in police custody as investigations continue.

Police road blocks in Central removed

The directive was issued on MOnday 14th April.

However, he directed that Emergency Order 14 (seizure of aircraft, vehicle, vessels and perishable goods pursuant to the National Emergency) will continue.

Manning said whilst there is a need to restrict movement of people to stop the spread of coronavirus or COVID-19 there must be minimum disruption to the lives of the people.

Toil land for potential food shortage: Agarobe

He said people in the province need to begin growing their own food and raise livestock for self-sustenance as well as to potentially supply Port Moresby or other centers.

Agarobe made the call in an update on COVID-19 measures undertaken by the Provincial Government.

Governor Agarobe said the current State of Emergency has shown how a crisis lockdown can affect food supply chains to and from the Province.

He said with the current wet weather, locals need to toil the land in anticipation of a shortage of food stocks both processed and local produce.

Trade Store owners to receive passes

Central Governor, Robert Agarobe, said color coded passes will be issued by the Provincial Police Commander with his signature.

Governor Agarobe said under the current lockdown only trade store owners with licenses and permits to operate will be issued passes to travel into Port Moresby and back.

“Passes to be issued by Provincial Police Commanders with colour coding which is orange, and the PPC’s original signature. Without the PPC’s signature, you cannot travel.

Abau District in lockdown

Central Governor, Robert Agarobe, said a Rapid Response team was dispatched on March 31st to a logging site where the ‘Persons of Interest’ were located.

Governor Agarobe said the ‘Person of Interest’ were tracked to Bam,  Abau District.

It is understood they are expatriates working at a logging site in the Cloudy Bay area.

Illegal squatters to be kicked out: Governor

Central Province Governor Robert Agarobe sounded the warning as the Provincial Government is currently registering and confirming all assets owned by the Province.

The Governor said a business plan will be put against the province’s assets to drive the business and revenue making interests of the province.

Agarobe was asked on the status of the former Central Province Headquarters in Port Moresby, which is currently being occupied by squatters.

“It’s not about reclaiming. We own that piece of land. Those ones who are squatting they will be kicked out of there.”

Entire village population registered

They aim to pursue their mission to obtain a certificate of an Integrated Land Group.

They celebrated their achievement recently with the presentation of the NID cards and certificates.

They invited Governor Robert Agarobe to share in their achievement recently.

Egala Auna is the first village in Ward 4, and the first village in all 288 wards of Aroma LLG of the Abau District, to register under the NID exercise, in pursuit of an ILG certificate.

Rigo needs over K400,000 for NID exercise

This was the figure shared by the District Development Authority following a recent signing of the Memorandum of Understanding with the PNG Civil Identity & Registration office.

Deputy Registrar Salome Bogasia sat with members of the Rigo DDA and local MP Lekwa Gure to formalise the understanding on Monday.

District CEO Koru Abe said: “We went through the MoU and did the costings. Over a period of three years we will need over K400,000, most of which will go to (logistics).”

Kosipe notes progress in potato project

Early this month Goilala MP William Samb visited his people with tools, which were bought with funding under the District’s Services Improvement Program, to assist them.

The K43,000 worth of agriculture tools were flown into Kosipe Village and distributed among the four main clans.

Two-hundred-and-twenty-two Tramontina knives, 220 spades, 68 hoe heads and 117 axe heads were shared.

They were to help with the English potato project; an initiative of Samb, with knowledge and skills support from the Fresh Produce Development Agency.

Family surrenders murder suspect to police

Paul Karuka, 21, of Kivori-Kui in Kairuku District of Central Province, is the alleged murderer of James Ikupu, 32, of the same village. Karuka is a year 12 student at Mainohana Secondary School in the Central Province.

It was alleged that on December 22nd, 2018, village youths, including the suspect and victim, were consuming alcohol. The suspect and the victim were cousin brothers. Whilst drinking a fight broke out between the youths and the suspect allegedly murdered the victim.

Karuka went into hiding after he allegedly committed the crime.