The East New Britain Students Association (ENBSA) of the University of Papua New Guinea (UPNG) recently carried out a 7-day election awareness program during the Christmas holidays in the province.
The program included community visits, radio awareness on NBC East New Britain’s Talk Back Show, and distribution of awareness posters and pamphlets produced by the PNG Electoral Commission of the National General Elections.
The theme of the project was Taking Responsibility for a Better Tomorrow by Working Hand in Hand. Target areas captured in this awareness are Quality Leadership, Voter Education, and Youth Voice and Participation.
“We saw the importance of Voter Education among the populace and how it affects good governance that sees effective service delivery to our people. If we make an effort to educate our locals about it, there is a chance there will be responsible and wise decisions made by our people when going to the polls to elect our representatives for the next five years,” says awareness team leader and 2021 ENBSA President, Ezra Kereku.
Kereku said the team had assistance from the Electoral Commission Kokopo office. They supplied the awareness materials and data to ensure quality awareness talks were presented to the people.
“The awareness was supported by practical exercise (mock elections) to clearly explain how ballot papers are filled and how the whole process of counting is done,” said Kereku.
The ENBSA thanks it’s Marleen Toliman Akop, Member for Rabaul Dr. Allan Marat, the ENB Provincial Administration, Provincial Electoral Commission, private partners; Senior State Prosecutor Lukara Rangan, the communities and church Leaders, and the Port Moresby ENB Community for their support in the implementation of the this program.
The Association is now looking forward to carrying out the second phase of its annual project which is the Book Drive Project.