Sir Peter Ipatas

Enga Governor, Sir Peter Ipatas, made this known during the official closing of the 29th Enga Cultural Show, which was hosted from August 11th-13th at the Aipus Rugby Field in Wabag.

“Enga Province is too big for any self-styled village 'rambos' and rebels to think that they are in control,” said the Governor. 

“If you are still living in the caves fighting over trivial matters to get those self-styled Hollywood titles of ‘Rambos’ and ‘Commandos’, you must be reminded that such individuals and groups will not last. 

Party Leader, Dr William Tongamp said People’s Party has no doubt that women are more than capable to hold office as Members of Parliament. He said the Party believes having women in parliament is best for the country.

He said the Marape-led Government is bold and decisive in negotiating a new deal for the country and is proud to say that Enga Province has supported those efforts. 

Sir Ipatas made this statement after the Enga Provincial Executive Council (PEC) met over the weekend to endorse the new project framework proposed for the mine.    

This will bring the number of high schools in the province to six.

The existing ones are Yumbilam (Kompiam), Kompiam, Ganim (Wabag), Piripais (Tsak valley) and Mulitaka (Laiagam) high schools.

The densely populated area of central Laiagam has been without either a high or secondary school for the last 12 years since the closure of Laiagam High School due to continuous tribal fights.

Sir Peter said tribal fighting is a disease that threatens students’ learning in the province.

Sir Peter specifically stressed on white-collar crime (corruption) in high offices.

“We cannot pretend that we are alright as a country with the alarming law and order problem situation,” he said when applauding Australia for supporting Enga’s infrastructural development.

“It's not only the street thugs and tribal fights, I am particularly concerned with stealing in high offices.

Sir Peter made this statement after Australia High Commissioner to Papua New Guinea, Jon Philp, unveiled a state-of-the-art amphitheatre in Wabag on December 15^th.

Sir Peter said his province would not have realised its development dreams in the last 10 to 15 years had it not been for the funding assistance from the Australian government.

The project is funded under a counter-part funding between the State and the China Export-Import Bank worth K513 million (US$160m).

Enga Governor, Sir Peter Ipatas, is now calling on the State to live up to its commitment.

Foundational work at the Enga Provincial Hospital has taken a rather slow pace, with funding constraints forcing contractor, the Guangdong Foreign Construction Limited, to limit its expenses.

The contractor is also indebted to suppliers and needs the funding component from the State to off-set arrears and pick up the pace of the construction.

Sir Peter made this appeal when welcoming the other Highlands governors for the Governors’ conference in Enga today.

In preparation for the signing of the decentralisation of powers to the Enga Provincial Government on Friday, Governor Ipatas is confident that Enga will be a model province in the Highlands region to trial out the autonomy.

He added that even though Enga has been labeled as the least developed province in the region, he is confident that Enga will change for the better in the next few years.

He said people’s interest have not been considered when the then Governor for Morobe Luther Wenge sought legal suit against the Australian police.

Governor Ipatas said the removal of Australian police from the country was only to please few politicians and not the majority of the people.

He said the law and order issue in the country is a concern and must be given priority by the Government.

He urged MPs to support him and recall the Australian police to our country.