Prime Minister (PM) James Marape has defended his decision for making the recent cabinet reshuffle that saw six new ministers sworn into office yesterday at the Government House, Port Moresby city.

He described it as a carefully considered strategic decision aimed at improving the efficiency of Government, accelerating service delivery, and strengthening Institutional Reforms as Papua New Guinea (PNG) enters the final phase of the Government’s current term.

Responding to Questions from the Opposition Leader, James Nomane during Question Time on the first Sitting day of Parliament following its resumption, Prime Minister Marape said the changes were not driven by personalities or politics, but by the Government’s responsibility to deliver tangible outcomes for the people before the 2027 National General Election.

The Prime Minister thanked all Ministers who had served in his Government over the past four years, acknowledging their commitment and sacrifices while noting that changing national priorities, health considerations, constituency commitments and the need for stronger delivery mechanisms required adjustments to Cabinet responsibilities.

“It was an absolute honour and privilege to work with all my Ministers over the past four years. These changes are not about personalities. They are about ensuring Government delivers the outcomes our people expect in the remaining months before the next Election,” Prime Minister Marape said.

He explained that as Papua New Guinea moves beyond its 50th Anniversary of Independence and continues implementing the Government’s “Reset at 50” Reform Agenda, it had become necessary to restructure several key Portfolios to eliminate bureaucratic bottlenecks and improve accountability across Government.