Marape appoints 12 vice-ministers

PRIME Minister James Marape on Friday appointed 12 vice-ministers who will be performing various tasks in Government.
Eight of the vice-ministers were sworn in at Government House by Governor-General Sir Bob Dadae.
Marape said their ministries and full responsibilities would be announced on Monday.
The vice-mnisters are Dr Kobby Bomareo (Tewai-SiassiMP), Pogio Ghate (Daulo), Joe Sungi (Nuku), James Donald (North Fly), Joe Kuli (Anglimp-South Waghi), Wesley Raminai (Kagua-Erave), Win Daki (Tambul-Nebilyer), Johnson Wapunai (Ambunti-Dreikikir), Jimmy Uguro (Usino-Bundi), Henry Amuli (Sohe), Manasseh Makiba (Komo-Margarima) and Koni Iguan (Markham).
Donald, Kuli, Wapunai, and Iguan did not attend the swearing in ceremony.
Marape said he had confidence in them to deliver to government expectations.
“We have a fine group of leaders who are all qualified to be ministers. At any time, they can be lifted to Ministers of State,” he said.
“But because of a combination of a formula that was used to appoint the ministers, most of them were displaced and they can’t all be ministers as we filled in the 32 ministries in the earlier appointments. But I am humbled to witness a group of leaders who accept the call to be vice-ministers.
“I did mention in the swearing-in of ministers, the vice-ministers here will be functional vice-ministers and not just getting title as vice-ministers and running around doing nothing as was in the past.”