Dadae sworn in as G-G

By MALUM NALU
Bob Dadae was yesterday sworn in as the country’s 10th governor-general in a short and colourful ceremony at Parliament House.
Sadly, his predecessor Sir Michael Ogio was not there following his passing on Feb 18.
Hundreds of people packed Parliament to witness the spectacle, which only happens once every six years, complete with a guard-of-honour by the PNG Defence Force, a combined band from the Royal PNG Constabulary and the Correctional Services Pipes and Drums.
These included invited guests and resident heads of foreign missions and international organisations.
PNG Defence Force Commander Brig-Gen Gilbert Toropo was parade host with VIPs, including Acting Speaker John Simon, Chief Justice Sir Salamo Injia and Lady Peam, Opposition Leader Don Polye and wife Sharon, and Prime Minister Peter O’Neill and wife Lynda.
Dadae and wife Hannah arrived and were received by the guard-of-honour with a general salute and escorted to the Speaker’s Lounge.
Following prayers by Bishop Denny Bray Guka, chairman of the PNG Council of Churches, Simon invited Sir Salamo to be seated in Parliament.
Dadae, 55, a three-time former Kabwum MP, took the Oath of Allegiance and made the Declaration of Loyalty and Declaration of Office before Sir Salamo and in the presence of Members of Parliament.
Simon then vacated the chair with Speaker Theodore Zurenuoc taking his place and offering congratulations to Dadae.
“Your Excellency, on behalf of the Members of Parliament and the people of Papua New Guinea whom they represent, I offer you our congratulations and wish you every success in the high office you now occupy,” Zurenuoc told Dadae.
Dadae, VIPs and their spouses were then escorted to the Speaker’s Lounge and then to the State Function Room for afternoon tea.
After this, they moved to the entrance of Parliament where the Vice-Regal Standard was broken and Dadae inspected the guard-of- honour, before departing followed by the other VIPs and their spouses.
Dadae, before entering national politics in 2002, was a member of the Morobe Tutumang (provincial assembly) from 1999-2002.
He is married with four children.
Dadae was a former deputy speaker of Parliament, Defence Minister from 2007-2012 and served on a number of parliamentary committees.
He was deputy chairman of the Public Accounts Committee and chairman of Citizenship Advisory Committee when he was elected governor-general on Feb 1.
He holds a Bachelor of Commerce degree from the University of Papua New Guinea and a master’s degree from Griffith University in Australia.