PM urged to make official appointments

PRIME Minister James Marape has been urged to officially appoint a Justice Minister and Attorney-General Minister and an Inter-Government Relations Minister.
Opposition Leader Belden Namah told The National that the National Gazette issued last week on who was to hold the two portfolios was an official document.
He was referring to a gazette to reshuffle Cabinet positions involving Deputy Prime Minister Davis Steven and fellow minister Pila Niningi.
It was later cancelled.
The first gazette (No. 53 dated May 11) revoked Steven’s appointment as the Justice Minister and Attorney-General and appointed him the Inter-Government Relations Minister.
It appointed Niningi to take over as Justice Minister and Attorney-General.
Namah said a second gazette (No G256 dated May 12) cancelled the changes and reverted to the status quo.
Namah claimed that the gazette did not revert Steven and Niningi to their current ministerial positions.
“As such, both ministerial positions are vacant,” he said.
“So now, Steven is the Deputy Prime Minister without any ministerial position and Niningi is a minister without a portfolio.”