Morobe govt ordered to reinstate officers

THE Lae National Court has granted an interim order for the Morobe government to reinstate deputy governor Judas Nalau and the chairman for government investments Daki Mao to its payroll.
Nalau is the president of the Yabem-Mape LLG in Finschhafen and Mao is the president of Umi-Atzera LLG in Markham district.
They sought legal interpretations of a circular from the former Minister for Inter-Government Relations Leo Dion on March 28 which was relayed to provincial administratrions by Secretary Dickson Guina.
Guina issued directives to provincial administrators to ensure LLG presidents, mayors and ward councillors resigned before April 10 to contest the national election.
Eight LLG presidents in Morobe, including Nalau and Mao had resigned to contest the elections.
Nalau and Mao argued that they were elected as LLG presidents and not public servants governed by the Public Service Management Act and General Orders.
“There is no  clause in the Organic Law on Provincial and Local Level Governments  that calls for a president to resign from elective post before contesting elections.”