Central Province Governor Rufina Peter

Central Province Governor Rufina Peter says the provincial government aims to implement through the provincial administration 80 percent of this year’s K405 million provincial budget by October 2024.

“I saw this on Thursday and it came as a shock and a disappointment to me, to the Central Provincial Government (CPG), and the people of Central Province. We have a good relationship with former PPC Laimo Asi. We have programs and initiatives planned already to undertake during this year and next what seems to be a demotion of our PPC and positioned up in Banz, is a slap in the face of the people of Central,” Peter said.

Peter said, “Implementing the Vagrancy Act alone will not effectively address the challenges of urban migration and the deteriorating law and order situation. A comprehensive approach to border control and management is essential for addressing these pressing and volatile issues.”

In light of the hasty execution of the Connect- PNG Project, Central Province now faces the potential risk of unauthorized entry and trespassing by vagrants, some of whom are notorious and dangerous.

“It is a time to reflect on our past and be grateful for the countless blessings, to consciously repent, reconcile, and to build a better future that we envision together: A future of hope, peace, and prosperity for people of Central Province and Papua New Guinea.”

Governor Peter says citizens must celebrate the country’s successes and must take responsibility for the failures.

In Parliament, she said Papua LNG recently lodged an application for petroleum development license to the Department for Petroleum and Energy ahead of its final investment decision.

Peter says in the Papua LNG Gas Project Agreement signed between the State and Project partners, the foundation gas volume to be provided from the Elk/Antelope fields is projected to be at 10.3 Trillion Cubic Feet TCF.

Concerns raised following the Ministerial Statement from the Office of the Minister of Works and Highway on the Connect PNG Programme Financing and Implementation.

“As the governor for Central Province, I do have concerns as well, from the point of view that if this road is connected the missing link, well when its connected, the social impacts on the southern region and especially Central is (going to be) be significant. Wthin Central province, we are not ready for the social impacts, negative social impacts,” said Governor Peter.