Ward members emphasises more on recognition

Many ward members in Western Highlands say their role has not always received the recognition it deserves.

This was the main issue discussed when 316 ward members from across Western Highlands gathered in Mt Hagen for their fourth Annual General Meeting recently.

Hosted by the Western Highlands Provincial Government, the AGM has been held every year since Governor Wai Rapa took office.

And for the ward members, it has become an important place to come together, share their experiences and speak about the challenges they face.

The ward is the grassroots level of Papua New Guinea's government system.

It is where national and provincial policies eventually reach the people.

But the people responsible for leading at that level often have very little resources to work with.

Hagen Open MP and Minister for State-Owned Enterprises William Duma, who opened the AGM, says ward members are elected representatives of the people.

"Ward members are elected by the people and they have a mandate from the people. They are representatives at the community and LLG level, and we must recognise the important work they do," Duma said.

Duma says many problems that later affect the district and province begin inside communities.

He added ward members are in the best position to deal with these problems before they become bigger.

"Many problems start at the community level. If they are not addressed there, they move to the township, the district and eventually the province gets the bad name."

He stressed that ward members may not have money, but they have something just as important-their voice and influence.

"You may not have money, but you have the power of speech. You have the influence to bring your people together and keep peace in your community, "MP Duma said.

Duma also acknowledged the ward members for coming together from their communities.

For them, the gathering carries a familiar cultural meaning.

In Melpa, “Mang Rapa” refers to a communal place where people come together, feel a sense of belonging and make important decisions for their community.

The AGM brought that same spirit into the formal government system.

Western Highlands Governor Wai Rapa understands the ward level better than most.

Before becoming governor, he was a long-serving ward councillor himself.

He has also continued to raise ward members' issues at the national level.

Rapa says his government will continue working with the ward members.

"I have come from the ward level myself, so I understand the challenges our ward members face. They are very important to our communities, and our government will continue to work closely with them and support their work."

The message has also reached the national level.

Deputy Secretary Operations of the Department of Provincial and Local Level Government Affairs, Larsen Thomas, has attended the Western Highlands ward members' AGM for the past three years.

Thomas acknowledged Governor Rapa and the provincial government for giving ward members a stronger voice.

"For far too long, ward members have been missed out when it comes to government recognition. Western Highlands has given them a name and a voice, and that is something we acknowledge," Deputy Secretary Thomas acknowledged.

The department is now working on a strategy to provide greater support to ward members across the country.

One of the key initiatives is the K30,000 Ward Services Improvement Program, or Ward SIP.

"The K30,000 Ward SIP is part of the effort to strengthen the ward level. We want our elected ward representatives to have the support they need to respond to the needs of their communities."

The announcement raised questions from ward members.

They wanted to know how the K30,000 funding will be accessed and used, along with other issues affecting their work.

For the 316 ward members, these questions matter because they return to the communities where the problems begin.

They are expected to lead, but often without the money and resources that come with higher levels of government.

The AGM ended with a simple but significant moment where each of the 316 war members of Western Highlands received a ward member badge- a first for Western Highlands.