By Delly Bagu – EM TV, Port Moresby
The state of emergency on electricity services is not about debt collection.
The state of emergency was declared so that issues of electricity services, as an essential service, could be improved throughout the country.
These were stern comments made by the Minister for Public Enterprise and State Investments, Ben Micah this afternoon at a media conference.
At the media conference at the national parliament’s B2 conference room, Minister Micah was with PNG Power Controller Captain Tom Ur and IPBC Board Chairman, Paul Nerau.
Mr Micah was firm when addressing the media, saying that emphasis must be given to broader electricity issues such as PNG Power, the private sector and regulatory matters.
He announced that since the gazette of the state of emergency on December 22nd, PNG Power’s K40 million overdrafts to BSP have been reduced to K8 million and many other positive outcomes have resulted in the government’s move.
Controller Captain Tom Ur clarified that the police and army will not be unnecessarily dispatched. He said so far, reaction from the public has been good. The public and businesses have been cooperative and there hasn’t been any need to use force.
Minister Micah said the electricity services is full of legacy issues many leaders and governments in the past have not addressed until now; under the leadership of Prime Minister Peter O’Neill, this government has taken a bold step with its drastic decision to address the issue of power.
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