In a historic moment on Friday 4th April, the National Judiciary Staff Services (NJSS) and the Yangoru-Saussia District Development Authority (DDA) in the East Sepik province signed an Agreement to partner to build a National Court House in the district headquarters. This will make Yangoru-Saussia the first district in Papua New Guinea (PNG) to have a National Court House with a Resident Judge to be based in there. Both parties have agreed to partner and improve judicial services in Yangoru-Saussia District and to extend the services to other districts in the Greater Sepik Region including Maprik, Wosera-Gawi, Angoram, Ambunti-Drekikir, and Lumi and Nuku in Weat Sepik province. The project including the National Court House and the houses for the Judge, Magistrate and other judicial staff will be delivered at the cost of K10 million – counter funding of K5 million each by both parties. The Minister for International Trade and Investment and Yangoru-Saussia MP Richard Maru said this is a very historic achievement and partnership. “I am pleased to announce that K5 million counterpart funding from the Yangoru-Saussia DDA is ready and will be immediately released as soon as Accounts are open next week. One of the biggest issues that has been raised in this country by the Law Society and the public is the lack of respect for the rule of law. This is because criminals are not brought to justice. To improve access to judicial services in our district, the Yangoru-Saussia DDA is investing K5 million. We are very keen to have a residential Judge to ensure that justice is dispensed to the Greater Sepik Region. These services will complement the Mobile (police) Barracks which is about to be completed and the District Court, which is already established in Yangoru Station,” Minister Maru said. He said this is a great step and he thanked the Chief Justice and his management for this historic partnership. “We are extremely thankful that we have been trusted to be granted the first district in PNG’s history to have a Resident National Court Judge. It is even more historical when this partnership is announced in the 50th year of our Independence Anniversary. I want to assure the Chief Justice and his team and the Secretary for NJSS and his team that my DDA will go all out to support this very important project, not only with funding but we will allocate land to build the houses for the Judge, Magistrate and all the judiciary staff who will be based in the district. With the funding to be immediately made available, we expect NJSS to finalize the design and we want to go out on tender as soon as practical for the entire project,” added Minister Maru. The Secretary for NJSS, Mr. Nicodemus Mosoro, on behalf of the NJSS and the Magisterial Service gave assurance to support the people of Yangoru-Saussia District with counter funding of K5 million for this project.