PNG NATIONAL GENERAL ELECTIONS - PAIELA HEWA LLG

NEW PAIELA HEWA LLG PRESIDENT VOWS TO END GUNS VIOLENCE AND RESTORE PEACE

President for Paiela-Hewa LLG, Samuel Lapan (3^rd from left) with his voters (councilors) at Ipatas Centre after sworn in at Ipatas Centre in Wabag on Wednesday.

BY ALE ASA

NEWLY elected president for Paiela Hewa Rural LLG of new Porgera Paiela district has promised to bring peace in the constituency.

President Samuel Lapan who has been a long serving councilor for 20 years (1997-2022) has said that his priority area of his new leadership is to bring peace into tribal warfare areas of the Paiela-Hewa LLG.

‘’Paiela-Hewa is one of the remote parts of the Enga Province. Government services have been cut off due to our continues tribal fights everywhere in the LLG. 

"We the leaders including the outgoing president, Saialas Ayela have tried our best to end the tribal war fares but was complicated because warlords have used high powered guns,” new President Lapan said.

The president said through his 20 years leadership experiences, his priority is to have a gun surrender program in the LLG with the assistance from Enga Provincial Government.

“I want to continue work with the Enga Provincial Government. The EPG has assistance as in many ways in terms of development purposes as well as to cease tribal fights, but we have not been managed well. 

"But my focus now is to request assistance from the EPG for my priority agenda which is the gun surrender. 

The combined army and police force in Porgera.

"It is not only me to work alone but I want to work with the Paiela-Hewa people to bring peace in the LLG and also want to work with the president Porgera giant gold mine area as Porgera is also affected by tribal fights,’’ the president stressed.

Enga Governor and Chief Sir Peter Ipatas was invited to Lapan's swearing in at Ipatas Centre on Wednesday.

Sir Peter said that due to the national elections, his seat is now vacant but the presidents will run the EPG Assembly while he and other MPs are out on the  campaign trail.

“I am out for election but you are part of the Provincial Assembly and Provincial Executive Council members until LLG election. 

"But I want to congratulate you on your win as the newly elected LLG President and my advice for you is to work closely with the Enga Provincial Government to restore Paiela-Hewa LLG and stop law and order problems that cut off government services in the LLG,” Sir Peter said.

Mr Lapan was elected president with 7 votes against Sam Karea who was voted with five votes in their Paiela-HewaGeneral Assembly meeting on Tuesday.

President Lapan, who is from Ingilepe village (ward 3) of Paiela station, took the place of Salas Aiyala who has vacated the leadership for the new Porgera-Paiela electorate open seat.