The Secretary for the Department of Agriculture and Livestock (DAL), Sergie Bang, has issued a formal apology to the General Secretary of the Oil Palm Industry Corporation (OPIC), Kepson Pupita, following a misunderstanding at a high-level agricultural roundtable held in Port Moresby yesterday.
In an official statement released today, Dr Bang clarified that the presentation on the oil palm sector was delivered by consultant Dr. Lastus Kuniata under the instruction of the Minister for Oil Palm. The decision was reportedly made on advice that Mr Pupita would not be present at the forum.
“I wish to sincerely apologise to the General Secretary of OPIC, Mr. Kepson Pupita, for the misunderstanding that has arisen,” Dr Bang said.
“Given the importance of the oil palm sector, the department felt it was critical that its perspectives be represented.
“Oil palm remains Papua New Guinea’s top agricultural export, playing a major role not only in revenue generation but also in employment and rural development, particularly in provinces such as West New Britain, Oro, and Milne Bay.
Dr Bang also stressed that the intent of the forum was not to receive individual institutional updates but rather to provide a strategic platform for identifying broader systemic issues in agriculture, rural, and regional development.
“These roundtables are part of our national consultation process under the National Agriculture Sector Plan (NASP) 2024–2033,” he said.
“The goal is to listen to our stakeholders, including commodity boards like OPIC, and work towards coordinated, whole-of-government responses.”
The Secretary reaffirmed DAL’s commitment to working with OPIC and all sector partners in advancing the agricultural agenda and improving rural livelihoods across PNG.