Moresby North-West MP elect Samuel sworn-in

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Member elect for the Port Moresby North West, Lohia Boe Samuel welcomed by the Speaker of the Parliament Job Pomat during the swearing-in ceremony Parliament on Friday, July 2. Photo: PNG Bulletin

Vows to fulfill election campaign commitments for his people 

By LORRAINE WOHI

THE member elect for the Port Moresby North-West electorate, Lohia Boe Samuel has been formally sworn-in by the speaker of Parliament Job Pomat at the Parliament State Function Room in Port Moresby on Friday, July 2.

The swearing in was witnessed by the parliamentary leader of  Pangu Pati and Prime Minister James Marape as well as other Pangu Pati Members  of Parliament (MPs).

Prime Minister Marape recently congratulated Mr Samuel for successfully wining the by-election with a total vote of 25,185. MP Samuel adds to the already solid team of Pangu parliamentary members which now stands at 33. PM Marape who recently celebrated his government’s two years in office achievements remains confident to face 2022 National General Election.

The member elect while giving his remarks said he will continue from where the former MP, the late Sir Mekere Morauta has left for the next eight months before the 2022 National General Election.

“My role now is to complement what the late Sir Mekere Morauta has done and to ensure that the long suffering people of Hanuabada, Gabi and Tatana especially to the ward 1 area of the Port Moresby North- West electorate get much need government services,” he said.

The MP elect also publicly put to rest claims of vote rigged while describing his victory as a result of many years of hard work.

He said for so long the people of Port Moresby North-West have been neglected.

Mr Samuel acknowledged the continuous support as well as other Southern Region Pangu Pati candidates for being supportive all throughout his campaign leading to his victory.

“We will ensure that some of the commitments we make during our campaigns are rolled out to the people of Motu-Koita and other ward areas within the North-West electorate.

“The long term plan for Pangu and the Prime Minister is to ensure that Hanuabada, Tatana and Baruni to be given a face lift from settlements to more modernized suburbs in the city.

“The Prime Minister has committed to ensure settlements like Morata be more modernized and to turn into a suburb.

“It is not an immediate plan, It is a medium to long term plan so there would be no miracles for the next eight months,” said the new MP elect.

He thanked the 25,000 people in the Port Moresby North-West who have voted for him and gave his special remarks especially to the people of Motu-Koita for standing with him.

The Moresby North-West seat was initially held by Late Mahuru Rarua Rarua from 1982 to 1985 as the first MP and was then taken over by naturalized Australian-born Robert Suckling for two terms till 1997 when Sir Mekere Morauta narrowly won and held that seat till 2012. In 2012, Sir Mekere Morauta decided to leave Politics after 15 years and so he stepped down resulting in Public Employees Association then President Michael Malabag taking over. In 2017 after the National General Elections Sir Mekere decided to return to politics until he succumbed to his death vacating the MNW seat which brought about the by-election.