PNGNRI DENIES CLAIMS OF MISSING REPORT

CAPTION: Wilson Thompson, Chairman of the PNGNRI Council

THE Papua New Guinea National Research Institute (PNGNRI) has accused the government of an oversight following a recent advertisement by the Chief Secretary stating that PNGNRI did not submit its 2024 Annual Report.

According to the PNGNRI Council Chairman, the PNGNRI enforces strict transparency by finalizing its annual reports and financial statements before 21 January each year since 2020.

Wilson Thompson, Chairman of the PNGNRI Council says management presents these documents alongside the upcoming work plan to demonstrate the responsible use of public funds.

He added that the NGNRI also complies with national legislation submitting these endorsed reports to the relevant Minister and key government secretaries shortly after 31 March.

Thompson maintained that as Papua New Guinea’s leading think tank and independent research institute, PNGNRI prioritises good governance and accountability to the people of PNG.

He says the annual reports and unaudited financial statements for 2020 through 2025 have been submitted to the Minister for Finance and the Auditor General per the Audit Act 1989.

Meanwhile, the 2023 and 2024 documents are currently undergoing audit.

The council thanked the PNG government for expanding the PNGNRI’s research capacity by increasing staff from seven to thirty and funding three Public Investment Programs focused on infrastructure and critical studies like youth employment.

However, they are urging the finance minister to fix a K10 million budget shortfall in 2026 so they can fund important research into elections, agriculture, employment, education, youth bulge, impacts of mobile phones on children’s learning, energy security, geopolitics, and national security.