Wenge: Lae set to be a fish city

 By RIGGO NANGAN

LAE city is well on its way to becoming a fish city, Morobe Governor Luther Wenge said.

“Lae is no doubt the industrial hub of the country but if there is one industry the city can boast about as its trademark, it would have to be fish,” he said.

Wenge told fish manufacturers, provincial fish management authority officers, fish project facilitators, National Fisheries Authority personnel and rural fish farmers during the swearing-in ceremony of the new Morobe Fisheries Management Authority (MFMA) board of directors last Friday the fish industry was fast becoming a major player  in Morobe and had the full support of the provincial government. 

He acknowledged fish canneries like Frabelle (PNG) Ltd, Besta of the International Food Corporation, Sea Foods Corporation and others that, he said, had made an impact in Lae by providing employment.

Wenge said fish projects were now moving into rural areas.

“The Morobe government had seen the potential in fish and created MFMA to facilitate fish projects for our people and accommodate potential fish cannery manufacturers to establish themselves in Morobe,” he said. 

The new board of directors includes Frank Pologo, who was reappointed as chairman. 

Deputy chairman is Barnabas Nalong while Sir Henry Chow, Tek Yana, Owai Nuzik, Ambros Amba and Epemu Kiwenu are members.

Sir Henry and Yana have served since 2004.

Nunzik and Amba are representing the Fisca and Huon regions respectively, while Kiwenu represents all fish farmers in the province. 

Present during the ceremony were canneries executives, Deputy Governor Morokoi Gaiwata and provincial executive council fisheries chairman, Haggai Joshua.