Province disciplines officers

 HELA province is starting 2016 with a crack of a whip.

Only 33 days into the new year the Hela police announced they were charging or disciplining 50 members of the force.

The Hela provincial administration announced it has also put more than 90 public servants off the payroll and promised more would follow.

Hela Governor Anderson Agiru yesterday commended the Hela police and the civil administration for taking “long overdue tough action” against non-performing personnel and pledged his government’s support.

The 50 members of the constabulary have been arrested and charged or are awaiting actions for misdemeanours ranging from repeated absenteeism to criminal offences.

Provincial administrator William Bando had taken more than 90 civil servants off the payroll since July 2015. Last year 57 public servants were taken off the payroll followed by another 40. Bando said more will follow in a few weeks.

Bando said: “Many public servants are collecting their pay and not turning up for work. 

“We know them and I will be putting their names in newspapers. 

“They will be given seven days from the date of publication of their names to clear their names or be taken off the payroll.”

Agiru said the province required dedicated and principled civil servants and disciplined security force members to help it progress. 

He was happy with the police and urged Bando to trim the public service.

Agiru said he was happy to see the acting PPC and Tari station commander Inspector Daniel Yangen crack the whip as the provincial police commander Michael Wally was away for personal reasons, 

“I am happy to see the police force want to clean up Hela,” Agiru said.