ENB SIGNS MOA WITH ELECTORAL COMMISSION

CAPTION: ENB Provincial Administrator Mr Levi Mano and Acting Electoral Commissioner Margaret Vagi displaying the signed MOA.

EAST New Britain (ENB) is the third province to sign a Memorandum of Agreement with the PNG Electoral Commission to work together in delivering a successful National Elections in 2027.

Acting Electoral Commissioner Margaret Vagi, ENB Provincial Administrator Mr Levi Mano and Election Manager ENB Mr Joab Woiwoi signed the MOA at the PNG Electoral Office yesterday.

“These partnerships will support and fix the electoral roll and help secure a clean roll for the upcoming election,” acting Commissioner Vagi said.

“The MOA signifies the partnership between both parties to ensure we deliver on time.”

Acting Commissioner Vagi says, the MOA covers the key areas of collaboration including the engagement of LLG Coordinators who are the LLG Managers and also ward recorders who will be engaged as enrolment agents.

The Acting Commissioner affirmed that they will be responsible for the roll update and be part of the Ward Enrolment Committees (WECs) who will verify elector details during the roll update exercise, encouraging all eligible voters, including youths, to enroll, update and verify their details.

Vagi reiterated that the roll update will end in December with the completion of an updated electoral roll for the 2027 national elections.

Provincial Administrator Mr Levi Mano said, while congratulating Vagi on her appointment said they are happy for the support of the PNGEC technical team and staff.

“This has culminated in the signing of this agreement to formalise the partnership we have always had in the past, but which is a bit different with the new changes we have made to update the roll and deliver elections,”

“We have a lot of challenges…but on behalf of our Provincial Election Steering Committee (PEAC), we assure that we will do all we can to ensure that the responsibilities contained in the MOA are met to help deliver a successful election outcome for us all,” he said.

Mr Mano said his administration had been keenly observant of many changes that are happening describing these positive changes as ‘very encouraging’.

He said: ‘we will help run and meet the electoral duties on the ground with the help and support of your technical officers’.

Reiterating on the Photo Roll Exercise, acting Commissioner Vagi said this will be rolled out to all 22 provinces starting with selected urban areas for now.

The PNGEC is currently undertaking a Roll Update and Verification Exercise from May to November. It is encouraging to see that all eligible electors including youths are showing interest to enroll, and current voters to check and verify their details on the electoral roll.

After issue of the National Gazette confirming her extension for another six months last week, the acting Commissioner and deputy traveled to the highlands where they held consultations on the electoral boundaries and signed MOA’s with the first two provinces of Western Highlands and Jiwaka.