By GABRIEL KATUHO
JS Commodity owner John Simon launched the JS Commodity Sepik 9s 2026 today.
As the naming rights sponsor, JS Commodity is providing a total of K55,000 in prizemoney: K25,000 for first place; K15,000 for second place; K10,000 for third place; and K5,000 for fourth place.
Simon highlighted the growing concern about law and order in East Sepik Province and ways to address these issues.
“To give back to the province I have decided to take up the sponsorship of Sepik 9s and I have also put my hands up to be the sponsor of Sepik Pride if they re-enter the Digicel ExxonMobil Cup,” he said at the event launching in Port Moresby.
“The reason why I am involved in the sports and why I decided to support the Sepik 9s is to provide opportunity for the growing population of youths in the country.”
He added that youths made up about 80 per cent of PNG’s population and should be provided with opportunities to build their lives.
Simon said Sepik 9s tournament would provide an opportunity to address law and order issues, as well as nurturing young talent for the Sepik Pride team to re-enter the Digicel ExxonMobil Cup competition.
“Leaders must do whatever we can to show our youths another path way in life. We need to do these things so that we assist this country,” Simon said.
“The law and order issue in this country has gone out of control and the police cannot control it. The law and order problem in this country is not a police issue anymore. It is everyone’s issue. All of us Papua New Guineans must contribute in our own ways to help this country so that we create the good pathway for the young generations.”
The 6th addition JS Commodity Sepik 9s tournament will be held on January 30-31, with 12 teams already registered. From the 12 teams, eight are local teams from East Sepik and four teams are from other provinces.
Registrations are still open for interested teams and all the matches are expected to be played at the Pora Oval in Wewak during the two days of competition.