NEW WORKS SECRETARY THANKED GOVERNMENT FOR APPOINTMENT

Department of Works & Highways Acting Secretary Mr. Gibson Holemba said that the National Executive Council (NEC) in its meeting No. 14/2024 on the 7th of August 2024 revoked the appointment of incumbent Mr. David Wereh Ruma Wereh.

Acting Secretary Holemba thanked Government of Marape – Rosso in its wisdom to make this crucial decision having confidence in him for taking the reigns from the incumbent to lead the Department and implement the flagship Connect PNG program forward.

Mr Holemba said that on Tuesday 13th August 2024 published in National Gazette No. G658 revoked the appointment of the incumbent as the secretary for Department of Works and Highways and appoint me as the incoming Acting Secretary for Department of Works & Highways.

I have asked all staff in a internal circular memo No:44/2024 dated 15th August 2024 to respect the decision of the government and implement it. On this note we thank the services of our former secretary and his long service to the department and the country.

The incumbent has been the champion of the infrastructure development and the author of Connect PNG. He deserves our respect and we allow him to focus on the matter at hand if the incumbent wishes to exercise his Section 50 rights.

For the department we need to continue to work as we have bigger goals to achieve in implementing the Connect PNG program in reaching the unreached and connecting the unconnected.

To all our stakeholders and the general public, donor and development partners, stakeholders and members of parliament, the government has made its decision through NEC and published in the National Gazette and we want to give confidence to you all Papua New Guineans as we go through the transitional period, that the department is in safe hands.

Papua New Guineans must have confidence in Department of Works & Highways because it’s in  safe hands and therefore the Connect PNG program will continue where the incumbent has left off.

As for the hand over take over ceremony, the program will be organized when the Minister for Works & Highways Hon. Solan Mirisim returns back from his overseas trip.    

Authorized by:

• Gibson Holemba
• Acting Secretary