IPA opens new HQ at Konedobu

By BOSORINA ROBBY
THE PNG Investment Promotion Authority yesterday officially opened the new IPA Haus at its new location at Konedobu, Port Moresby.
This means all the offices once separated will now be found under one roof, which managing director Ivan Pomeleu said would make it easier for their clients.
Pomeleu said in the past, the large part of the operations of IPA – the registry, was left at the Monian Tower, making overall management difficult.
As such, lodging of company names, businesses and others and company checks are now on the ground floor of the new office.
According to the Registrar of Companies Alex Tongayu, having everything in one place means that work would be faster and that waiting time for the issuance of certificates had dropped considerably.
He said in the past, the registry had more than  8,000 lodgements waiting in the queue before issuing a certificate, which has been cut down by half.
Tongayu said the numbers of lodgements for company registration has continued to increase at a steady rate than in the past, despite a K500 set as registration fee.
“But the increase in numbers does not show the exact field of business these new businesses are for.
“However, it is safe to say that these have come about because of the PNG LNG project,”  he said.
He said since the first company was registered, there were now more than 72, 000 registered companies in the country with no sign of it slowing down.
Pomaleu said as part of their new look, they were currently working on an online registry that would  allow clients to register in their homes or offices.
He said this will contribute to reducing the number of queues of lodgements thus freeing up more time to work on issuing certificates.
“However, we are mindful that most of our clients do not have access to the internet services, thus the front desk will be there for these types of clients,” he said.