PNG Minister funds a new police station and vehicle

6:40 pm on 11 April 2017

A new police station has been opened in Papua New Guinea's Enga Province built with the support of the local MP and Minister for Foreign Affairs Rimbink Pato.

The minister provided the money through his District Services Infrastructure Program grant.

Mr Pato and the Police Commissioner Gari Baki opened the station last week in the Wapenamanda District and also took delivery of a new police vehicle.

Assistant Commissioner of Police for Logistic Tony Duwang, Foreign Affairs Minister Rimbink Pato, Police Commissioner Gari Baki and Enga Provincial Police Commander  George Kakas in front of the new  Wapenamanda  police station (left to right). Picture by Police Media Unit.

Assistant Commissioner of Police for Logistic Tony Duwang, Foreign Affairs Minister Rimbink Pato, Police Commissioner Gari Baki and Enga Provincial Police Commander George Kakas in front of the new Wapenamanda police station (left to right). Picture by Police Media Unit. Photo: Supplied/ Royal PNG Constabulary

At the opening, Mr Baki told the crowd to co-operate with electoral officials and security forces to ensure this year's general election is safe and free.

Two other police stations are under construction in the province at Lower Lai and the Tsak valley with both buildings expected to be completed before the end of June.

It has been 25 years since the people of the Tsak Valley have had a police station.

The last one was closed after tribal warfare forced the police manning it to withdraw.

A local councillor and landowner in the Tsak valley gave five hectares of land to the Police Department as an incentive to bring police services back into the valley.

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