WEST New Britain MP Francis Maneke has formally tendered his resignation as Governor of the province effective yesterday.
He made his intentions known through a letter dated September 21, 2021 to the Minister for Inter-Government Relations Pila Niningi and copied to the Prime Minister James Marape, the Clerk of Parliament Kala Aufa, Regional MP for West New Britain Sasindran Muthuvel and the Clerk of the West New Britain Provincial Assembly.
Maneke who was then Talasea MP in 2017 become the Governor through an election process by the West New Britain Provincial Assembly on September 15, 2019.
This came about after Governor Sasindran Muthuvel vacated the seat and took up his appointment as State Enterprises Minister to the Marape-Steven government in June, 2019.
Maneke in his letter of resignation stated: “I tender my resignation as governor for West New Britain, returning to the duties of my open seat of Talasea.”
He said to focus on his people and Talasea electorate in the delivery of beneficial projects and programs to strengthen his people in the wake of the Covid-19 pandemic.
“It has been my greatest honour and privilege to serve the proud people of my province as their governor over the last two years in the province and on the floor of Parliament,” Maneke said.
He believed that the provincial government under his leadership had courageously met the challenges and built upon the existing policies and programs and knows there is more work to be done.
However, he wanted to resign as Governor for WNB and concentrate on his electorate and the people who elected him.
It is understood the West New Britain Provincial Assembly will deliberate on Meneke’s resignation letter and will likely re-elect Sasindran Muthuvel back as governor.
