PNG Minister Masere Under Fire in Parliament for National Census Setbacks
Papua New Guinea Administrative Minister Richard Masere came under heavy scrutiny in Parliament as members questioned the progress of the delayed National Census. Pomio MP Elias Kapavore opened the session by directly asking Minister Masere for an update on the nationwide project.
“Can the minister provide an update on the progress of the national census, and when does he expect it to be completed?” Mr. Kapavore asked.
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| PNG Minister Masere Under Fire in Parliament for National Census Setbacks |
Minister Masere, while providing a brief response, was quickly met with supplementary questions from several MPs, including Southern Highlands Governor William Powi, Hiri-Koiari MP Keith Iduhu, and reinstated Madang MP Bryan Kramer.
Hiri-Koiari MP Iduhu raised concerns about unpaid allowances for enumerators, which had been an issue since the census began on June 16. He asked the minister when these payments would be made, implying that many enumerators had not yet received their compensation.
Madang MP Bryan Kramer focused on the financial aspects, asking how the K200 million allocated by the Marape-Rosso government for the census had been used over the past two months. He also called on the Finance Minister to reveal how much money had been released to the Administrative Services department.
East Sepik Governor Allan Bird joined in, demanding a detailed explanation of how the census funds were utilized, including contributions from provincial governments.
Earlier in the session, Southern Highlands Governor William Powi had urged Parliament Speaker Job Pomat to allow Minister Masere to present a detailed report on the handling of the census since its commencement. Powi emphasized the importance of the census and the need for a comprehensive explanation, saying, “National census is not a small thing; it's a matter of national importance, and in my view, it cannot be answered in a five- or ten-minute question session.”
Powi requested that the minister deliver a full parliamentary statement covering the challenges, successes, and support received from sub-national governments, as well as the funding situation.
The national census has been widely criticized as a failed project, leading MPs to question the management of both Minister Masere and the National Statistical Office (NSO). Despite the concerns, Masere reaffirmed the government’s commitment to completing the census, assuring Parliament that a report detailing the project’s successes and failures would be tabled soon.
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