Pila Ninigi

Minister for Provincial Affairs and Local Government Pila Niningi said just under 30 per cent of the funding allocated for electoral boundaries has been released.  

The planned split of the Talasea district in 2022 may not happen.

Ninigi said the Government had budgeted K14m for the electoral boundaries but so far only K4m had been released.

Minister Ninigi made this clarification after news of the new electorate being gazette, went viral on social media Facebook.

This is in preparation for the swearing - in of the provinces, Provincial Assembly council members.

Meantime, the Prime Minister, Peter O'Neill, is expected to arrive today as well to be sworn-in.

Other members of the Assembly include Governor, William Powi, Imbonggu MP, Pila Ninigi, Mendi MP, Michael Nali, Nipa Kutubu MP, Jeffrey Komal and Kagua Erave MP, Wesley Raminai.

Meanwhile, police are maintaining road checks and can be observed to be checking vehicles driving into and out of Mendi.

More updates to come.

Secretary Ninigi says that they aim to improve transparency, accountability, and most importantly increase the probability of capable and eligible school leavers

He encouraged all higher education institutions and important stakeholders to work as a team to prepare for the upcoming National Selections.

Meantime, Ninigi also commended the Secretary and his staff for this milestone initiative.

He adds that this initiative will change the face of National Selections of Grade 12 school leavers into our tertiary institutions in the country.

The current selection process is so costly, not transparent and at the same time very cumbersome resulting in many eligible students miss out in their once in a lifetime opportunity.

“We had also tackled the issue of cost-effectiveness, in saving the state K5 million that goes every year in the logistics and mobilization of selectors nationwide,” he said.

He said that the higher education sector has grown to such a stage in which the way students are selected must be improved to become honest and transparent.