Prime Minister Hon. James Marape has assured Parliament that the Government will take the necessary steps to address electoral boundary discrepancies identified by the Electoral Commission ahead of the 2027 National General Election.

Responding to questions without notice from East Sepik Governor and Chairman of the Special Parliamentary Committee on Elections, Hon. Allan Bird, Prime Minister Marape said the Government was fully aware of the concerns and was working through the necessary administrative processes to determine how they should be resolved.

Governor Bird  informed Parliament that newly appointed Electoral Commissioner Dr Nicole Haley had revealed during a parliamentary committee hearing last Friday that boundaries affecting 60 parliamentary seats were incorrect or overlapping, with unauthorised additions of wards also identified in some electorates.

He  said the discrepancies originated from the work of the Electoral Boundaries Commission in 2022 and warned that failure to rectify them could create serious legal complications ahead of the 2027 elections.

Prime Minister Marape acknowledged the seriousness of the concerns and assured Parliament that the Government would work to address the outstanding issues.

“I am fully aware of the issues pertaining to electoral boundaries,” Prime Minister Marape said.

“We intend to leave no stone unturned in making sure that the electoral boundaries have integrity as we face the 2027 elections.”

The Prime Minister confirmed that the Chief Secretary was overseeing the necessary administrative processes and that the National Executive Council submission relating to the Electoral Boundaries Commission was being processed.

He  explained that the delay was partly due to the need to obtain considered input from relevant government agencies, particularly those responsible for  provincial and local-level government affairs.

Prime Minister Marape said he expected to receive a comprehensive briefing from the Electoral Commissioner next Tuesday on the outstanding boundary issues and the steps required to address them.

“Next Tuesday, we will get a full  brief from the Electoral Commissioner on what needs to be done,” he said.

The Prime Minister clarified that he had not, at this stage, directed the Electoral Boundaries Commission to recommence its work, noting the normal 10-year interval associated with electoral boundary reviews.

However, he said the Government would examine the discrepancies identified by the Electoral Commissioner and determine the appropriate corrective measures.

He  emphasised that the Government wanted to preserve the work undertaken by the 2022 Electoral Boundaries Commission while addressing errors requiring correction.

Prime Minister Marape also reaffirmed the Government’s commitment to adequately funding preparations for  the 2027 National General Election.

He  said an additional K150 million had been allocated through the 2026 Supplementary Budget to support the Electoral Commission’s preparations, on top of K50  million already provided.

The Prime Minister said the additional K150 million would be released to the Electoral Commission before the end of the year.

He  indicated that the funding could also support work required to address electoral boundary discrepancies if the Electoral Commissioner determined that such work was necessary.

Prime Minister Marape stressed the importance of following established legal and administrative processes and allowing the Electoral Commissioner to carry out her statutory responsibilities.

He  said the Commissioner was focused on ensuring that electoral boundaries were clearly defined, the common roll  was properly updated and election preparations were conducted in a manner that strengthened public confidence.

The Prime Minister also commended Governor Bird  and the Special Parliamentary Committee on Elections for  their continued scrutiny of electoral administration and their efforts to identify weaknesses requiring government attention.

He  said the Government valued the committee’s work regardless of political affiliations, recognising that credible elections were a national responsibility.

Prime Minister Marape acknowledged that Governor Bird  sat on the Opposition side of Parliament but emphasised that electoral reform required cooperation across political divisions.

He  assured Parliament that the Government would continue supporting the committee in identifying and addressing deficiencies within the electoral system.

Prime Minister Marape said the Government’s ultimate objective was to ensure that the 2027 National General Election was conducted with greater integrity and better resourcing than previous elections.

“Together, we work to ensure that the 2027 election is an election that has higher integrity and better resourcing than elections past,” he said.