Get rid of leaders who are not performing

THE K100 million bailout for PNG Power Ltd (PPL) by the Government as reported in the media is timely.
It is timely in the sense that it would save the Government from the wrath of the urban voting population who are already sick and tired of frequent power outages.
The Government has been addressing this issue with a band-aid approach.
Independent power suppliers such as NiuPower Ltd and Dirio Gas and Power Ltd have come on board to help ease the pressure faced by PPL to meet the demand of the consumers, only to have a bad experience with what it means to do business with State-owned enterprises.
With all the energy-related products being produced from our gas and petroleum fields, we continue to drown ourselves under failed and weak leadership from the political helm to corporate boardrooms and the system.
This is because those that are placed there are much focused on what their pockets can make using their positions rather than focusing on serving the people.
This is not only happening to PPL.
The recent statement by Moresby South MP Justin Tkatchenko regarding the incompetency of Water PNG which he described as “a total disaster and failure” (The National March 2, page2) as compared to former Eda Ranu regarding timely and efficient water services in Moresby South, is embarrassing.
The is due to the fact that the merger was done to prevent duplication of functions and to save costs.
This government was part of former prime minister Peter O’Neill’s regime that initiated these changes only to reap their indecisiveness and short-sighted decisions regarding the merger from one of their former loyalists calling it a “total disaster and failure”.
Tkatchenko has raised the alarm bell seemingly for political convenience after realising that the election is just around the corner and his sphere of influence can be affected one way or another due to prolonged water shortage.
These are only part of the many development issues regarding roads and bridges to schools and health services issues now being raised.
Parliamentarians who have been sleeping just happened to wake up and are speaking up about these issues.
This is most likely because elections are nearing and they want to look as if they’re prioritising people’s concerns.
Last week, the nation heard and read about Works Minister Michael Nali telling his colleagues during question time that his department has not been allocated sufficient monies in the national budget to fix roads and bridges throughout the nation.
So when would the implementation of the Connect PNG programme materialise?
Can someone explain how this programme is going to work out since there are no funds to repair and build roads and bridges?
As this is the case, our citizens should open their eyes, face the reality of the tragic economic situation the nation is in and help rid many dysfunctional, good-for-nothing and redundant MPs that have led our nation astray and have them replaced in this year’s general election.
The reality is that they have shown to the world that they are incompetent and incapable of managing the affairs and economic wellbeing of this nation, thus, leaving us a K50.6 billion in debt to repay.
Voters should be mindful that we are bound to face major crises now that war has broken out in Europe and its negative economic impacts will affect businesses and investments worldwide.
While the country is in a major deficit, the lending nations and international financial institutions can walk in and take over our nation as we do not have enough to repay our debts.
If this happens, we would be treated as second class citizens or to an extreme, worthless in our own country as a result of our on-going short-sightedness, ignorance and shallowness.
Lenders certainly would want their monies repaid with full interest.
Are we going to be able to withstand this if we continue to think the way we have been accustomed to by sticking to leaders that lack in-depth knowledge and wisdom?
The General Election 2022 is a turning point and many former and MPs, especially those that have induced voters should go.
Finschhafen in Morobe is a case in point.
The nation does not need them and their styles of “flamboyant” leadership through materialism and dirty money.
Such persons do not hold the people and nation-building at heart.

Emmanuel Allen Mungu,
Son of Finschhafen,
Pom