SOEs told to be innovative, pay dividends to govt

CHIEF Secretary Isaac Lupari has urged state-owned enterprises (SOEs) and statutory authorities to be innovative, smart and competitive in carrying out their business activities and pay dividends to the Government.
Lupari received a dividend payment of K60million from the National Fisheries Authority (NFA) on behalf of the Government.
“The Government has invested money to set up SOEs so that they can operate as a business owned by the people of PNG, make profit and pay dividends to the Government,” he said.
“That is very important. And the Government is looking on them to generate money to finance annual budgets every year which can be used to deliver goods and services to the eight million plus people.”
Lupari said the NFA was a well-managed agency “and it is no surprise that it is paying its dividend on time”.
“Beside this, the NFA is also undertaking important projects such as the construction of jetties as well as providing subsidies to all its branches in the country,” he said.
“Where there is effective management, efficiency in the operation and a well-structured stakeholder’s partnership, the country can benefit from such dividend, job creation and income opportunity.”