New energy minister urged to cater for sector

PETROLEUM Minister Kerenga Kua has urged new Energy Minister William Onglo to ensure that a department was created to cater for the energy sector.
Kua made the statement while handing over the Energy Ministry to Onglo in Port Moresby yesterday.
“For Papua New Guinea’s quest for development, (we should start) by making energy a standalone department, with its own dedicated minister, with its own dedicated secretary and staff,” he said.
“We have about 30 to 40 dedicated staff at the energy wing.
“Presently, under the public service determinations, we are one department.
“But, I prefer that the sooner you advance your agenda to making yourselves a standalone department, it will be better for the country.
“Some of your challenges would be sourcing different sources of energy.
“There are all sorts of energy that you can look at.”
Kua said there were three structures which Onglo could look at.
“In PNG’s case, we have so much cheap energy,” he said.
“We have so much cheap labour.
“But what has been lacking has been cheap energy.
“We have not been able to figure out how to provide ourselves, cheap, affordable energy.
“It’s through energy that you will encourage industrialisation.”