Nanei sworn in as Acting Chief Secretary of ABG, vows to meet challenges head-on
Kearnneth Nanei has stepped into the role of Acting Chief Secretary of the Autonomous Bougainville Government (ABG), following the resignation of Mr. Shadrach Himata this week.
Speaking during his swearing-in ceremony today in Buka, Mr Nanei, expressed gratitude for the opportunity and highlighted the challenges and responsibilities that come with the position.
“I know that the role is a very challenging role. It is the front line of the public service machinery in delivering to people and meeting the people’s expectations. I am honored and humbled with the decision and I want to thank Honorable President and the Members of the Bougainville Executive Council for the appointment to provide the leadership within the Bougainville Public Service,” he said.
Mr Nanei acknowledged the expectations from the executive government, people, and bureaucrats, and emphasized the need for direct coordination and visibility in implementing government decisions.
“From the Office of the Chief Secretary, we will provide a very direct coordination and visibility on all the decisions made by the Government. We will provide direct visibility in terms of implementing government’s decisions, through a whole of government approach in ensuring we achieve economic targets, we achieve good governance standards, in ensuring that the delivery of goods and services from the headquarter to the districts down to the community government is transparent and is effective and efficient.”
He outlined his priorities, which include advancing the independence agenda through economic reforms, legislative development, and managing legacy issues, particularly concerning the reopening of the Panguna Mine.
“We will establish key committees within the Panguna redevelopment in terms of mapping out various legacy issues, consulting with our people and how the administration deploys itself in engaging meaningfully with landowners, with ex combatants, with every stakeholder in Panguna so that the government’s decision of issuing the exploration license to BCL can come into realization.”
“Government has given the exploration license; however, it is the administration that will provide that social license. We have to go down and deal with the legacy issues, get our people together, get our ex-combatants to go out and say that as responsible people we shut down the mine and now we are coming back to open it and there is no better person than the President himself at the forefront to renegotiate a new deal for the people of Bougainville,” Nanei said.
Mr Nanei thanked outgoing Chief Secretary Mr. Shadrach Himata for his leadership over the last four years which saw notable milestones achieved for the administration.
Following Mr Nanei’s elevated role, Ms Julianne Sapaka has been appointed as Acting Secretary for the Department of Justice and was also sworn in today in the presence of the ABG President, Ministers and Heads of Departments.
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