By GINNAH MINI
DEI Open MP Desmond Kipa has questioned Prime Minister James Marape over the legal and policy basis for the suspension of more than 70 public sector heads.
Mr Kipa raised the issue in Parliament and commended Mr Marape for taking action against public sector heads deemed to be non-performing.
In response, Mr Marape said the suspensions were based on the legal requirement for departmental and agency heads to submit annual reports on their operations, finances and human resource management.
He cited provisions of the Constitution and several laws, including Sections 187, 220 and 256 of the Constitution, Section 119(1) of the Organic Law on Provincial Governments and Local-level Governments, Section 22 of the Prime Minister’s Act, Section 14 of the NEC Act and Section 47L(1) of the Public Finances (Management) Act.
Mr Marape said all public officials who receive public funds have a legal obligation to report on their use.
“The Constitution and subsidiary Parliament laws state that reports must be submitted,” Mr Marape said.
He said the reporting requirement applied even when departments did not receive their full annual budget.
“It’s about time we break loose on bad habits of the past and, in the 50th year of reset, we get this fundamental basic right,” Mr Marape said.
The Prime Minister warned departmental heads that they must meet their obligations in financial and human resource management or vacate their positions.
On the status of the suspended officials, Mr Marape said the Chief Secretary had instructed ministers to appoint deputies from within their respective agencies to serve as acting heads.
“The 70 that are under suspension, they just have to tell the Chief Secretary the reason why they didn’t report,” he said.
The suspensions followed a National Executive Council meeting on July 22, 2026, which approved the immediate suspension of more than 70 heads of public sector institutions for failing to comply with mandatory annual reporting requirements.
Those affected include provincial administrators,
Provincial Health Authority chief executive officers, university heads, State-owned enterprise executives, heads of disciplined forces and heads of constitutional offices.
In a statement issued on July 30, Mr Marape said the decision was non-discriminatory and applied equally to all affected officers.