The country’s Prime Minister, James Marape recently announced the official dates for the 2024 Local Level Government (LLG) elections. The dates revealed were: • Thursday, 25 July 2024 (4pm) Issue of Writs • Thursday, 1 August 2024 (4pm) Nomination Close • Saturday, 24 August 2024 Polling Starts • Friday, 6 September 2024 Polling Ends • Friday, 27 September 2024 Return of Writs (on or before) Prime Minister Marape also announced that eight provinces including Morobe and the seven Highlands provinces have chosen to have councilors electing their LLG presidents while the rest of the provinces will have people directly electing their presidents. “The National Government will ensure funding is made available to support the PNG Electoral Commission and the Department of Provincial and Local Level Government to deliver on the elections of our third-tier government.” “The Pangu Coalition Government supports our local-level governments. We have inputted our councilors into the government payroll, as we continue the work to reform the LLGs to ensure this tier of government that is closest to our people, is fully supported.” Meanwhile, Marape commended the Minister for Provincial and Local Level Government Affairs, Soroi Eoe for the good work he had been undertaking, including the latest inclusion of the new local level governments.