PNG LOST A CHAMPION NATIONALISTIC LEADER

PRESS RELEASE

PNG LOST A CHAMPION NATIONALISTIC LEADER

Date: December 2, 2025

Papua New Guinea lost a champion nationalistic leader and public servant who was committed to nation building and connecting rural communities to markets for easier access to government services with better road and bridge connectivity.

The Department of Works & Highways is shocked with mixed emotions by the untimely passing of our Late Minister Hon. Solan Mirisim, MP and Member for Telefomin.

Works Secretary Gibson Holemba said that it is with a heavy heart he relays the painful message to the management and staff of the Department of the sad news that the Minister has passed on. Mr. Holemba made these official remarks after social media was flooded with messages of tribute and condolence to our late Minister.

I would like to quote a Bible text to give comfort to all staff, family members, and the people of Telefomin during this bereavement period, from the book of Job 1:21 – “The Lord gave and the Lord has taken away, blessed be the name of the Lord.”

As soon as I received the message in the early hours of the morning that the Minister was rushed to the hospital, I made my way there to confirm, and present were our Prime Minister Hon. James Marape and Minister for Tourism Hon. Beldan Namah, MP and Member for Vanimo Green.

Mr. Mirisim was 47 years old at his untimely passing after being rushed by Saint John Ambulance to Port Moresby International Hospital in the early hours of this morning around 1am (December 2nd, 2025) and was pronounced dead on arrival.

It is with deep and profound sadness that we mourn the passing of a distinguished leader and a three-term serving Member of the National Parliament of Papua New Guinea. He passed away early this morning after a brief illness, leaving behind his wife, children, and his people of Telefomin District.

Late Mr. Mirisim entered Parliament in 2012 and quickly rose to prominence as a hardworking and influential leader among his colleagues and fellow leaders.

He represented the Telefomin District in West Sepik Province and served the nation with unwavering commitment and dedication for almost two decades, or 15 years. First entering the 9th Parliament in 2012, he was re-elected into the 10th Parliament in 2017 and now the 11th Parliament after winning the 2022 National General Elections.

He held several key ministerial portfolios, including Minister for Forestry, Minister for Defence, and most recently Minister for Works and Highways under the Marape–Rosso Government.

Throughout his political career, Hon. Mirisim contributed immensely at different levels, capacities, and portfolios he was tasked to take charge of as a State Minister, serving faithfully until his untimely demise.

His most notable contribution to nation building was being the champion behind infrastructure development and connectivity projects that transformed rural communities in Papua New Guinea over the last four years as Minister for Works & Highways (2022–2025).

Under his leadership, the Connect PNG Program advanced road infrastructure reforms, strengthened administrative transitions, implemented major national highways and missing link roads and bridge programs, and improved access for many Papua New Guineans in rural areas that had no road connectivity for the last 50 years since Independence.

The famous missing link projects that became a rural testimony elevated him to be the true champion for rural people in landlocked areas in some of the remotest parts of PNG. The road projects were the Teleformin–Tabubil Highway, the extended Magi Highway from Port Moresby to Alotau, and the Trans–National Highway connecting Morobe to Gulf and Port Moresby.

He was also instrumental in delivering landmark projects and policy implementations such as the country’s longest footbridge at Papa–Lealea, and he played a pivotal role in forestry reforms promoting downstream processing and sustainable forestry practices, and the push to increase the Infrastructure Tax Credit Scheme infrastructure development threshold percentage from 2% to 3%, which is to be passed into law by Parliament.

He was born and raised in Telefomin, and he completed his education locally before earning a Certificate in Business Management from Lae Business College. Prior to entering politics, he was a successful businessman and community advocate.

His passing is a profound loss to Papua New Guinea. He will be remembered for his vision, leadership, and tireless efforts to improve the lives of his people. One thing is certain—he never gave up on his people of Telefomin, the most remote district in PNG; he connected them by road and brought light into their lives. He wanted to replicate the success of his district with other road infrastructure projects, only to succumb to the fate of his demise.

However, his legacy will live on for generations to come. His people will surely miss his leadership and drive to make Telefomin Station a better and modern model district in PNG despite being landlocked for almost 50 years.

State funeral arrangements and official statements from the Government will be announced in due course.

Authorized by:

Gibson Holemba

Secretary