New provincial administrator takes office

 EAST Sepik Governor Sir Michael Somare has announced that public servant Otto Ganaias is acting administrator for the province until the National Executive Committee makes the full appointment.

Ganai takes over from Richard Kombo, who was acting in the position.

Sir Michael called on the East Sepik people to support the decision he had taken. 

“Trying to get the public service to perform in the province is a monumental task that I am sure other governors are facing,” he said. 

“While we have funds available, vital services are not being delivered to the people.”

Sir Michael said many factors had contributed to the little progress that was being made in the province but a constant problem was the repeated absence without notice and general lack of accessibility both in the office and on mobile phones of senior public servants. “I have hardly received any policy or financial briefs from the administration since becoming governor last August. 

“This is intolerable and has been well documented. Thus, I am obligated to advise the minister and secretary of personnel management.

“As a result of the lack of performance and accountability by the ESP administration, I must advocate the appointment of a new acting administrator,” Sir Michael said.

Ganai has been instructed to expedite some of the critical initiatives that the PEC has approved but that had not been implemented within an acceptable timeframe.

These included updating provincial legislation to improve revenue generation, voluntary customary land registration to facilitate economic growth, upgrading of critical infrastructure to jump-start development and promoting East Sepik as a tourist destination.

Sir Michael urged public servants to focus on their mandate to deliver services to the people and put politics and personality differences aside.

“We must cooperate at all levels in the province and take ownership of our future.

“Finally, I thank outgoing acting administrator Richard Kombo for his willingness to serve and further thank him for returning to his critical finance role in the administration,” Sir Michael said.