Deputy given chance to shine

National

By HELEN TARAWA
OSWALD Tolopa, is the new acting secretary of the Department of Land and Physical Planning.
He replaces Tiri Wanga who returns to his substantive post of acting deputy secretary.
Minister Justin Tkatchenko told The National that Wanga had reached the end of his three-month term.
“I decided to give deputy secretary Tolopa the chance for the next three months to help me reform and change the department,” he said.
Tolopa has been in the department for more than 25 years, the last 10 as deputy secretary Corporate Affairs.
“I was deputy secretary for three consecutive terms and it was too long. I was considering leaving when this appointment came,” he said.
He said most officers in the department had been upholding good governance and compliance “but only a few” were spoiling its name.
“I believe that moving forward we can resolve those issues. It’s a matter of leadership and how we try to get everyone in line,” he said.
“I’m not going to reinvent the wheel but continuing my work. This is a new era. If I’m leading, then we have to move together.”