East Sepik Provincial Police Commander (PPC), Christopher Tamari has confirmed that police officers are now on ground in Wosera to monitor, carryout investigations and prevent further clashes between two villages recently that has seen properties destroyed and casualties. PPC Tamarai told PNG HAUSBUNG that the violent dispute between the Gatikum and Visikum villages in Northern Wosera resulted in more than two locals dead from the violent fighting. He said with a high population of locals in the area, the local police personnel are not equipped to take control of the situation, hence additional police manpower had to be sent into help handle the situation. The fighting also disrupted critical government services to the rest for the people, even the local Secondary School had to suspend classes, affecting the preparation for the final year students for the 2024 National Examinations that will be starting next week.

PNG Power Limited (PPL) is implementing an emergency load shedding across Port Moresby city and Central Province due to a current shortfall in electricity generation. This measure is essential to maintain system stability while efforts are underway to restore full power generation after Dirio Gas & Power Company Limited pulled the plug on its power supply to the city's power grid due to nonpayment of bills owed by PNG Power to the company. The load shedding is occurring in 3 to 4-hour intervals, and the schedule has been made available on all PNG Power social media platforms. PNG Power further stated that the shortfall in power generation is primarily due to Dirio suspending its power supply to PPL on Friday, September 27th. PPL is actively engaging with Dirio to resolve the issues affecting the power supply and aims to find a mutually beneficial solution promptly. In addition to this issue, global economic conditions and market fluctuations have also impacted PPL’s operational costs, including inflation, a shortage of foreign exchange within PNG, and rising fuel costs driven by global uncertainties. Additionally, unpaid electricity bills and unfunded community service obligations continue to strain PPL’s financial resources. PPL requires immediate additional funding to reduce its outstanding debt and modernize its infrastructure. Despite these hurdles, PPL is committed to restoring normal power supply while working closely with suppliers and developing strategic solutions to secure more sustainable fuel arrangements, ensuring long-term stability in generation capacity. PPL remains dedicated to minimizing disruptions focused on finding long-term solutions to mitigate the effects of external market forces on its operations, limiting the impact on customers. According to PNG Power Board of Directors McRonald Nale, PPL continues to operate with strong support from the Marape Rosso Government, Kumul Consolidated Holding (KCH), and multilateral partners to enhance power reliability across the country. Mr. Nale concluded by mentioning that the contributions of Independent Power Producers (IPPs) are highly valued, as they play a crucial role in generating electricity for major grids. PPL will maintain its partnerships with IPPs under fair and equitable terms for both parties.

The Port Moresby Northwest Rugby League, a sanctioned competition under the Papua New Guinea Rugby Football League (PNGRFL), is having a difficult time monitoring club players going through required medical checks, especially with the semi- finals coming up and everyone preparing for it. The Port Moresby Northwest Rugby League Games Coordinator, Mr. Stallone Tanda, said they have received reports of players sustaining injuries like shoulder injuries amongst several other forms of injuries throughout the season, either from trainings or from games. However, he said although clubs implement routine medical check ups at the various health centers in the city, a good number of players tend not to get medical checks in fear of being ruled out of the games, if they are declared upfit to play. He said this has resulted in the difficulty of the Port Moresby Northwest League Management to keep tabs on players medical conditions before the games; however, he said this should not be the case as each player must put their safety first, no matter what the situation in the game is or their club standings in the competition, as their wellbeing is important. It's better to not sustain any life long injuries that would prevent each player from achieving their dreams in playing rugby league. Mr. Tanda went on the urge the respective clubs in the competition to also focus on their players' wellbeing and ensure required medical checks are being conducted. Meantime, the knockout games this week will determine the teams to go into the semi- finals. The grand final is all set for October 13th , 2024 with matches to be played at the Koni Tigers Oval, Waigani.

The 2024 National Examination week for all final year students from secondary to primary schools in the country will commence next week, starting off with the Grade 10s, and the Tokarara Secondary School in Port Moresby city is putting in the final touches for their students to sit their exams. Tokarara Secondary School Principal, Mr. Gabriel Manga told PNG HAUSBUNG that they continue to conduct remedial classes and additional classes for students who need the extra classes, for their final year students from Grade- 8 to Grade- 12. Mr. Manga stated that they have a total of 717 students, perhaps the highest for the school, to sit for the National Exams this year. The total number of students comprises of 4 classes of Grade-8s, 8 classes of Grade-10s and 5 classes of Grade- 12’s. Despite this huge number of final year students, the principal says preparations have gone quite well so far. Mr. Manga also emphasized strong confidence in the students as their overall discipline this year has been exemplary. The Grade- 8, 10, and 12 students will all be sitting for their national exams in the month of October. The Grade-10s will start-off the week from the 7th -11th of October while the Grade–12 will sit theirs from 14th –18th and Grade-8’s on the 21st to 24th of October, wrapping up the National Examination week. “I am confident in the teacher’s efforts towards preparing the students for their National Exams. The teachers have played their part, and the students have responded through their attendance during remedials and classes.” Mr. Manga concluded that the school staff, including senior teachers, continue to relay wisdom and encouraging words to the students at weekly assemblies to stimulate their interest in the upcoming national exams.

Senior police authorities are continuing their peace mediation talks with community leaders of Enga's Porgera Valley at Laigam today. Enga Provincial Police Commander Fred Yakasa confirmed this with PNG HAUSBUNG this morning. He said the meeting will commence today with elders and leaders of Liagam to come to terms to minimize any more harm and damage to families and land property. The peace meeting at Laigam is being attended also by the Controller for the National Emergency law enforcement operations in Enga- Porgera Paiela district, Joseph Tondop who is the Acting Assistant Commissioner for Police and also Hela PPC. PPC Yakasa said he is accompanying ACP Tondop to conduct this peace meeting in Laigam today to further deescalate tension of violence. With the previous peace meetings on the 16th and 17th of September with the Porgera Valley Sagara Tribe and the lower-Porgera Tribes to ease the rival tribe’s tension, today's meeting will be crucial to keep the communities inline to foster peace and normality for the betterment and well being of all the communities in Porgera valley. PPC Yakasa confirmed police security reinforcements numbers have risen, which means more law enforcement personnel on ground to maintain public safety and normalcy, which is the main goal, especially for affected communities in Porgera as-soon-as-possible. With the increased number of officers on the ground including the Papua New Guinea Defense Force, the communities in Porgera Valley are slowly but surely coming to a sense of peace in their respective areas. The increase of Police and PNGDF will soon adequately ease the tension and settle the curiosity and heightened nerve of panic and fear in the communities, answering their hopes for peace following their recent protests. Meanwhile, the PPC Yakasa will be alongside the Controller ACP Joseph Tondop to arrange vital peace terms to move forward without further violence throughout Porgera Valley including the entire Enga province.

The Minister for International Trade and Investment and Yangoru-Saussia MP Richard Maru, delivered an inspiring message to the graduating Grade 10 and 12 students of Nagum Adventist Secondary School on 23rd September with the central theme, "If I can do it, you can do it." Minister Maru shared his personal journey from growing up in Passam to achieving his dream of attending Papua New Guinea University of Technology (UniTech) and much more. He emphasized the importance of having a clear vision and working hard towards it, while recounting his rise from a humble background to becoming a CEO, a senior Minister in Cabinet, and even the Acting Prime Minister of Papua New Guinea. Minister Maru encouraged students to partner with God for success, stating that a strong relationship with God is the key to knowledge, wisdom, and blessings. Minister Maru shared that his career took off after he dedicated his life to God, urging students to put God first and remain focused on their dreams. “The secret of success is your relationship with God because He is the source of all knowledge, wisdom, and all blessings including your future. I found out that when I gave my life to the Lord my career just took off. All you must do is put God first. He has a plan for each of us and He will help you to get there. Don’t let anything distract you in your relationship with the Lord. Focus on your dreams and work hard; you must not be sidetracked by other influences. Discipline, focus, and seek ye first the Kingdom of God. You can do it; the sky is the limit.” Minister Maru also highlighted the unique role of Nagum Adventist Secondary School as a Christian institution. He urged students to reflect the light of God in their communities and maintain exemplary behavior, avoiding negative influences like drugs and homebrew consumption. He supported the school's strict discipline policies and called for the termination of students who misbehave. Proud of the school's academic achievements, Minister Maru announced that the Yangoru-Saussia District rewarded the school with a new truck for ranking 2nd in East Sepik Province and 22nd nationally in the Grade 12 National Examination results. Minister Maru concluded by reaffirming the district's commitment to investing in the school and rewarding excellence.

The people of Boim-Sara Village in Yangoru-Sassia District, East Sepik Province are set to construct a new Primary School in Boim-Sara Village through the assistance of Local MP and Minister for Trade and International Investments, Richard Maru. The People of Boim-Sara made a request for a classroom to their local MP last year in August during the opening of their elementary’s twin classroom, where Minister Maru responded with terms for Boim-Sara Village to settle land issue and offer a prime land for the school to be built. The Boim-Sara locals settled their land disputes and made prime land available where Minister Maru official did the groundbreaking ceremony on it on Tuesday 17th September 2024. Maru announced that the materials for the construction of a 4-in-1 classroom, which is K400, 000 and the head teacher’s house at the cost of K300, 000, are ready and work would start as soon as the school board provided the masterplan of the new primary school. Minister Maru thanked the landowners and the people of Boim-Sara and said: “Boim-Sara is one of the biggest villages in Yangoru-Saussia District and it makes sense for them to have their own primary school. Boim-Sara will have its own primary school for the first time in 50 years, when the nation celebrates its 50th anniversary next year. Minister Maru emphasized the importance of accessing education and the distance of education for children, as it negatively impacts their studies. Minister Maru believes that every child should have a strong foundation in early childhood, elementary, and primary education to compete in the local and international level. Consequently, the construction of the elementary and primary school in the district is just the beginning to ensure students can study without having to travel long distances to schools. Meantime, families in Boim-Sara also received 200 water tanks as part of the WaSH project. Each family contributed K600 for a tank, and the Yangoru-Saussia District Development Authority (DDA) provided K5, 400 for each tank. In total, this amounted to K1, 080, 000 for the 200 tanks. Minister Maru also pledged to construct a permanent bridge at a cost of K250, 000. The purpose of the bridge is to ensure that students do not face difficulties crossing the river, especially during rainy weather when the river floods. Additionally, Minister Maru committed to bringing electricity to Boim-Sara to power the new school. The Yangoru-Saussia District Development Authority (DDA) awarded the contract for the building of the head teacher’s house to the landowners of the land the school will be built on. In addition, Minister Maru previously announced the launch of a scholarship scheme called “Yangoru-Sassia Independence Fellowship scheme” during the 49th Independence Celebration addressing all proud student present despite being on holiday.

Over K30 million was injected into the country from tourism alone this year, marking a significant boost for the tourism sector and the country’s economy. This figure comes from a recent report released by the Papua New Guinea (PNG) Tourism Promotion Authority (TPA), showing an estimated US$23 million or K38 million injected into the country’s economy by tourists in 2024, marking a promising outlook for the nation’s tourism sector. According to the TPA, the total number of visitors arriving by air in August 2024 reached 9, 222, highlighting the country’s ongoing appeal to international travelers. A noteworthy 2% increase in visitor arrivals from Australia compared to August last year underlines the importance of the Australian market, which remains PNG’s largest source of visitors with the country still accounting for 39% of all arrivals, while China had the lowest representation at just 0.1%. Business travel also showed positive growth with a 2% increase in business travelers this August compared to the same period last year. The employment sector saw a substantial rise, with 36% of visitors coming for work purposes, which demonstrated the country’s appeal as an emerging destination for employment opportunities. TPA’s CEO, Mr. Eric Mossman Uvovo highlighted the significance of PNG as a unique destination. "The steady growth we are seeing in visitor numbers, particularly from our key markets like Australia, shows that our country is not only a hub for tourism but also an attractive destination to work and play,” said the CEO. “The fact that over a third of visitors are coming for work shows the global appeal of Papua New Guinea, with each visitor contributing to our economy. PNG will remain committed to providing a million different journeys for tourists and business travelers alike," Mr. Uvovo added. Uvovo also said that the organization will continue to provide enriching experience to all visitors coming into the country. “Our focus at TPA remains on delivering a memorable experience for every visitor, whether they are here for work or leisure. With exciting new initiatives and partnerships in the pipeline, we are confident that our tourism industry will continue to thrive,” said Mr. Uvovo.

The mothers of Yanguru-Saussia District in East Sepik Province recently celebrated the official opening of the Women’s Micro Bank (Mama Bank) while also celebrating the 49th Independence Day on 16th September. The mothers with tears of joy applauded and thanked their Local MP and Minister for International Trade and Investment Richard Maru who officially cut the ribbon on the 18th of September 2024. Mama Bank branch is now the second bank to open in Yangoru-Saussia District, second to the Bank of South Pacific (BSP) being the first. This now eliminates the need to travel to Wewak for banking purposes. Minister Maru not only officially cut the ribbon but also launched the District Credit Guarantee Scheme called, “Putim na Kisim”. Minister Maru explained that the scheme will help village-based MSMEs obtain bank loans through a 1:2 savings-to-loan ratio. Borrowers must save K1 to borrow K2, with loan amounts ranging from K500 to K10,000, and potentially up to K20,000 for those who repay successfully. If a borrower defaults, loses their savings with the bank, the difference will be paid by the Yangoru-Saussia District Development Authority (DDA) through its Investment Banking Division. Representing the Yangoru-Saussia District Development Authority (DDA), Minister Maru presented K250,000 to Mr. John Turu, the Regional Coordinator for Sepik Region Operations at Mama Bank. This was followed by an announcement of an additional K250,000 next month totaling to K500,000. This will provide the bank to serve as a security guarantee for the people, enabling them to begin borrowing from the bank. Mama Bank was also provided with a brand-new vehicle by Yangoru-Saussi DDA to enable banking service to be accessible. Minister Maru further emphasized that within 12 months the bank should coordinate with all ward councilor and LLG Presidents to initiate a program on financial literacy training to open bank accounts for the 96 wards across Yangoru-Saussia District.

The proper maintenance of vehicles to ensure their roadworthiness is extremely important when it comes to road safety in towns and cities in the country. The increased number of unsilenced and faulty vehicles in Port Moresby city alone has increased the probability of more accidents from a logical perspective. It is because of this that vehicle owners and drivers are frequently reminded to maintain standard vehicle condition and follow road safety rules and regulation especially from the Motor Vehicle Insurance Limited (MVIL), Road Traffic Authority (RTA) and by police at the occasional police roadblocks. However, these warnings are constantly neglected. Most of the faulty and unregistered vehicles are in highly populated and isolated locations as well, operating with minimum monitoring from authorities. One such case that highlights further the importance of road safety, was in NCD when a faulty 25-seater PMV Bus-9 crashed and caused a dangerous collision of five vehicles altogether at the Waigani crossing on Thursday 19th September. The bus-9, operating the Gerehu and 4-mile route, had experienced brake failure while traveling from Ensisi to Waigani and crashed completely into a small sedan that stopped at the crossing, causing a collision of other vehicles stopped at that same crossing. Fortunately, no major injuries or deaths were reported in this accident. The first police officer from Waigani police stationed who arrived at the scene reported that no one was injured from the crash, including the pedestrians near the crossing. Police once again call on vehicle owners to be more responsible by keeping their vehicles in good condition and fully registered to avoid such incidents and subsequent consequences

The Papua New Guinea famous Modern Wan Squad Dance group will host its Dance Workshop and competition today at the Hilton Hotel and Suits in Port Moresby, proudly sponsored by Mountain Dew. The Competition will be judged by four members of the Australian Dance crew members including wan squads team leader to help identify the top dance crews. The 12th place best dance crew in the World of HipHop Wan Squad through the competition are pleased to encourage and inspire youngsters and peer groups to pursue their goals in modern dancing. The competition’s registration category includes the Junior level for the teens (Kids) and opens for adults. The junior category consists of 10-17 years old and will declare three winners from the first to third place, while the opens category from the age of 18+ will include the 6 winners from the 6th to first place winners. More than 10 dance groups have registered, consisting of adults and juniors. Most of the dance groups are from the local suburbs while few travelled from Tubusere, Barakau and HanuaBada villages. The groups all came with one main goal in mind, and that is to give their best and win the first prize. Despite the rival nature of a competition, the teams have shown respect and acknowledgement to their competition, including the hosts. The competition commences at 4pm this afternoon at the Hilton Hotel with the public and family, friends, and colleagues allowed to come support.

The stage is set for an exhilarating 2024 Digicel ExxonMobil Cup Grand Final showdown between the Wamp Nga Mt. Hagen Eagles and the Kroton Hela Wigmen this afternoon at 3pm at the Santos National Football Stadium (NFS) in Port Moresby city. The first place Eagles have had an impressive season, finishing at the top of the ladder with 26 points. Their offensive prowess is evident, having scored 383 points, the second-highest in the league. Their ability to consistently put points on the board, coupled with their resilience, makes them a formidable opponent. Key players have stepped up in crucial moments, showcasing their depth and versatility. Despite their strong offense, the Eagles have shown vulnerabilities in their defense, conceding 336 points. This could be a potential area of concern against a team like the Wigmen, who have a solid defensive record. Additionally, the pressure of maintaining their top spot throughout the season might weigh heavily on them in the final. The Hela Wigmen have demonstrated remarkable capability in their defense, conceding only 269 points, the lowest among the top teams. Their ability to stifle opponents’ attacks has been a key factor in their journey to the final. With 19 points from 8 wins, 3 draws, and 7 losses, they have shown they can perform under pressure and adapt to challenging situations. Offensively, the Wigmen have not been as prolific as the Eagles, scoring 318 points. This could be a disadvantage if the game turns into a high-scoring affair. Their inconsistency in securing wins, with 7 losses, indicates potential weaknesses that the Eagles might exploit. As the two teams prepare to clash, fans can expect a high-intensity game where every play will count. The Eagles will rely on their offensive firepower to break through the Wigmen’s sturdy defense, while the Wigmen will aim to capitalize on any defensive lapses by the Eagles. The outcome of this match will hinge on which team can best leverage their strengths and mitigate their weaknesses. The atmosphere at the National Football Stadium is expected to be electric, with supporters from both sides cheering their teams on. As the countdown to kick-off continues, the excitement and anticipation are reaching fever pitch, setting the stage for a memorable finale. This Grand Final is not just a battle for the championship but a celebration of the skill, determination, and sportsmanship that has defined the Digicel ExxonMobil Cup 2024 season.