Enga Governor Sir Peter Ipatas is calling on Police Minister Sir John Pundari and Prime Minister James Marape to reinstate former Enga Provincial Police Commander (PPC) Chief Superintendent Steven Harris.
Sir Peter said Enga Province had been facing law-and-order challenges for years and that he had worked tirelessly to secure the appointment of Harris, an expatriate officer he described as a neutral person, to lead the provincial police force.
However, Harris was transferred out of Enga and replaced by Chief Inspector Daniel Yangen. Harris is currently serving as the PPC for West New Britain Province.
While acknowledging Chief Inspector Yangen, Sir Peter said he wanted Harris reinstated in Enga. He made the call during the recent opening of the Mukurumanda Correctional Facility in Wapenamanda.
“I worked hard for years to get an expatriate to lead the Police Force in Enga Province, and he lasted for only six months before you people removed him,” Sir Peter said.
“You two must look into this issue. This PPC (Harris) and four other expatriate officers were agreed to be brought into Enga, and the Australian Government gave us K7 million to build up police force capacity in Enga Province.”
Sir Peter said he had worked with several local PPCs in Enga but had not seen the improvements in law and order he wanted.
“I’m not judging the new PPC. He is a new person in the role and is my relative. I’m not against him, but I am standing for the principle and management of law and order in Enga,” he said.
“When I had the expatriate PPC, I experienced improvement. If there is a reason he was removed, please let me and the people of Enga know.”
Sir Peter appealed to the Prime Minister James Marape, the Police Minister Sir John and the Provincial Executive Council to reconsider the decision and allow Harris to lead police operations through the upcoming national election period.
“Prime Minister, reinstate him, and I promise you, Enga will change under a neutral and foreign PPC,” he added.
He said Enga had been negatively labelled during the last election and called for a neutral expatriate officer to oversee policing during the next election.
“Enga was badly labelled during the last election. The election will be next year, and for a change, let’s get a neutral expatriate man as PPC so that we leaders will not compromise the work of the PPCs and, for once, deliver a very good election,” Sir Peter said.
