PRIME Minister Hon. James Marape has commended the leaders and people of Hela and Southern Highlands provinces for taking ownership of law and order through the surrender of illegal firearms, while announcing an extension of the gun surrender amnesty to 25 December 2026.
Prime Minister Marape particularly commended Southern Highlands Governor Hon. William Powi, Hela Governor Hon. Philip Undialu, Minister for Health and Disaster and Emergency Services Hon. Dr Billy Joseph, Minister for Immigration Hon. William Bando, and Vice-Minister for National Planning Hon. Daniel Tindipu for their leadership in supporting the gun surrender programme.
He said gun surrender activities taking place in Tari, Hela Province, and Nipa, Southern Highlands Province, showed leaders and communities responding positively to the National Government’s call to remove illegal firearms from communities.
“I commend the leaders of Hela and Southern Highlands for taking the lead and responding to our call for illegal guns to be surrendered,” Prime Minister Marape said.
“I also commend our people in these areas who have heeded the call and are voluntarily surrendering their weapons.
“This is what we want to see throughout Papua New Guinea — leaders taking responsibility and our people taking ownership of law and order.”
Prime Minister Marape said the Government had extended the gun surrender amnesty until 25 December 2026, giving those still holding illegal firearms further opportunity to surrender them.
“To those who have surrendered their guns, we say thank you. To those who are still holding illegal guns, we have extended the gun surrender amnesty deadline to 25 December 2026,” he said.
“Use this opportunity to return your weapons and choose a different path for yourself, your family and your community.”
Prime Minister Marape called on districts coordinating the surrender programme to maintain a proper registry recording the types of firearms surrendered and the people surrendering them.
He said the initiative should not end with the surrender of weapons but should also provide pathways for participants to move into productive economic activities.
“Where possible, we want these people to be assisted into SMEs and other forms of small business so that hands that may otherwise be idle can be put to productive use,” Prime Minister Marape said.
“We want our people involved in positive work that can sustain themselves and their families instead of activities that bring violence and destruction into our communities.”
Prime Minister Marape said the response from Hela and Southern Highlands demonstrated that Papua New Guineans could take greater ownership of law and order.
“Papua New Guinea must take ownership of law and order ourselves,” he said.
“Government and our security forces have their responsibilities, but our leaders, communities, churches, families and individuals must also take responsibility.
“It is good to see leaders taking control and our people responding positively.
“I commend Hela and Southern Highlands for leading from the front. I encourage other communities where illegal firearms remain to follow their example.
“Let us remove guns from our communities and move our people into SMEs, agriculture and other productive work that will build safer communities and a stronger Papua New Guinea.”
ENDS