Marape appoints two cabinet ministers

By KELVIN JOE
GUMINE MP Lucas Dekena has been appointed Education Minister to replace the late Jimmy Uguro, while Bogia MP Robert Naguri is the new Energy Minister to replace Kerenga Kua who resigned in January.
Both men were sworn in by Governor-General Sir Bob Dadae at Government House yesterday.
Prime Minister James Marape described both men as educated and qualified for the Cabinet positions.
“I am privilege to witness two fine MPs being drafted into Cabinet to fill the vacancies,” Marape said.
Uguro passed away in February while on a duty tour in East Sepik.
Kua resigned from the Government in January following a Cabinet reshuffle.
Dekena and Naguri are members of the Pangu Party led-government. There are now 38 members of Cabinet.
Marape said he wanted to include in Cabinet those “who can match or perform in areas where they are competent and have qualifications (in)”.
Marape said Naguri was a University of Technology graduate with an engineering background.
Dekena who graduated from the University of Papua New Guinea had served in the education sector over the years.
Marape said the National Executive Council went through the vetting and discussion process before appointing Dekena and Naguri to fill the vacant portfolios.