THE management and staff of the National Coordination Office for Bougainville Affairs sadly announce the passing of the Director Dr. Henry Tadap Okole, Ph.D.
Dr. Okole was selected from a fine pool of candidates and appointed as the Director for NCOBA by the National Executive Council and gazetted on November 25th, 2020. He held that position until his untimely passing on Friday March, 5th, 2021, after a short illness.
Dr. Okole from Ravat, Raluana LLG, in Kokopo, previously held an advisory role with NCOBA under the Abt PNG Management Services. He was a former academic at the University of PNG, a former international staff-member of the African, Caribbean and Pacific Group of States in Belgium, and at one point, a senior research fellow with the PNG National Research Institute.
He has also been a consultant engaged both in PNG and the Pacific. At the time of his passing he was also an Adjunct Research Fellow at La Trobe University in Victoria, Australia.
During his short but prolific term with NCOBA, Dr Okole had accomplished a successful Joint Supervisory Body meeting in Arawa in February this year, completed a 33-page Background paper for members of Parliament and the PNG Consultation team titled “Papua New Guinea and Bougainville: Origins of the Crisis and Implementing the Bougainville Peace Agreement”, he facilitated and coordinated talks between the National Government, Autonomous Bougainville Government, and various stakeholders, and he was in steady progress of jointly delivering the very first post referendum consultative meeting between PNG and Bougainville.
He is survived by wife Velin, three daughters Dianne, Ruby, and Abigail, and four grandchildren who stood by him through his commitment to the 43 staff of NCOBA taking on the Bougainville issue.