159 Long Service Officers Awarded on the Eve of Papua New Guinea’s 50th Independence Anniversary

Photograph: Image is of Mr. Waria Serah, who has served 53 years in the department, receiving his long-service award from the Minister for Works & Highways.

The Department of Works and Highways (DoWH) honoured 159 of its longest-serving employees on Monday, September 15th, 2025, recognizing their exceptional dedication as Papua New Guinea prepares to celebrate its 50th Independence Anniversary. The ceremony was professionally hosted by two female DoWH officers, Genevieve Kalenda, Principal Engineer, and Collen Jackson, Assistant Secretary – Asset Management Branch, who both served as the Masters of Ceremony for the day.

All 159 awardees have served the Department for 30 years or more, a milestone reflecting decades of commitment to building and maintaining the Department as the nation’s leading infrastructure and development organization since 1953.

Among them, two officers received special recognition for their extraordinary service. Mr. Waria Serah, the Department’s longest-serving employee, was celebrated for an unprecedented 53 years of service, followed closely by Mr. Evoa Miai, who marked 50 years with the Department. Both men were presented with clear crystal plaque awards, signifying their exceptional contribution to the Department and the country.

Other recipients were recognized in two additional categories:

• Golden Awards were presented to employees with 35 to 49 years of service.
• Silver Awards honoured those who have served between 30 and 34 years.

During the event, only officers from the DoWH Headquarters and Central Province were officially awarded, representing a total of 67 recipients. The remaining 92 awards will be dispatched to provincial offices across the country for presentation to the respective long-serving officers in the coming weeks.

The initiative to recognize the Department’s long-serving officers was led by Mr. Brian Alois, Deputy Secretary – Field Operations, with strong support from Secretary Mr. Gibson Holemba, who both highlighted the importance of honouring employees whose dedication has sustained the Department through decades.

Speaking on behalf of the Secretary, Ms. Sandy Meria, Executive Officer, commended the staff for their unwavering loyalty and hard work.

“Your decades of service embody the perseverance and dedication that have helped shape Papua New Guinea’s development over the last half-century,” she said.

On top of the awards presented, all 159 long-serving officers will each receive a token of appreciation cheque payment of K5,000.00 from the Department, as a gesture of gratitude for their many years of service.

The evening concluded with the awardees’ reflection on their years of service and their loyalty to the Department.