Governor Ipatas tells students to return to class, leave politics to politicians

Enga Governor Ipatas tells UPNG students to return to class

The Governor of Enga Province  Sir Peter Ipatas is calling on the  University of Papua New Guinea students to return to classes and leave politics to the politicians.

Sir Peter made this call, flanked by Wabag MP Robert Ganim and Minister for Environment John Pundari in Port Moresby yesterday. 

“We do not have a crisis, so I do not want the students to create a crisis,” he said. 

“We do not want the students to create an issue on something that is not an issue in this country.

“What I want to say to all our students and especially all our Enga students is that we are the mandated leaders of the people of Enga. The students cannot say that they represent the people of this country.

Sir Peter said he had sacrificed a lot of time to serve and educate Enga people to become professionals. 

“For me to just stand by and see students being used for political gain doesn’t go down well. 

“So I am now calling on all my students to go back to the classroom, get educated. Leave politics to me, I was mandated, I was elected to do it,” he said.

UPNG vice-chancellor Prof Albert Mellam shared the view of the Enga leaders. 

“The management is extremely concerned about the continued disruption to classes and the viability of the academic year,” Mellam said in a letter to SRC president Kenneth Rapa yesterday.

“Management has taken a decision ahead of senate to urge all students to return to classes immediately. The continued boycott of classes or strike action has reached its fourth day and deemed illegal as it contravenes sections 44 and 45 of the SRC constitution.

“We are now putting you on notice that a university team has been assembled to remove all barricades and blockages.

 This is done with the aim of restoring normalcy in the performance of the university’s core business of educating our students.”

Mellam said the administration would continue to work with the SRC to restore normalcy.