“I (James Marape) am not a millionaire, I never was one, and I do not lose sleep dreaming to be one. I am content with what I earn as a public servant of Papua New Guinea.”
Prime Minister, James Marape made this statement in a media statement this evening when responding to a social media post. The post claims that PM Marape, out of nine others, is the richest politician in PNG.
He rubbished it as ‘false social media claims.’
PM Marape denied the post circulating on social media.
He has also instructed the Department of Information and Communications Technology and other agencies to identify those responsible for spreading such false information about him and other leaders.
The post lists the 10 richest people in PNG as, starting from the bottom, Governor-General Sir Bob Dadae, former prime minister the late Sir Rabbie Namaliu, Vanimo-Green MP Belden Namah, former Bougainville President John Momis, Kandep MP and Higher Education Minister Don Polye, former prime minister Paias Wingti, former prime minister Peter O’Neill, former prime minister the late Sir Mekere Morauta, former prime minister Sir Julius Chan, and Prime Minister Marape at the top.
Prime Minister Marape said the post is very misleading and mischievous given the current political situation in the country.
“I am not the richest person in Papua New Guinea as this fake post claims,” Prime Minister Marape said.
“Those who work in Bank South Pacific and Kina Bank know the exact amount of money I have in these two accounts, which neither have K1 million, nor have seen K1 million,” he said.
Prime Minister Marape expressed his disappointment that leaders such as Governor-General Sir Bob Dadae, and the late former prime minister Sir Rabbie have been included on the list.
“This post, and others of similar nature, are fake and fabricated and deliberately done to smear the names of leaders,” he said.
“It is very disrespectful of the Governor-General and late prime minister Sir Rabbie.
“Governor-General Sir Bob Dadae, for instance, is a simple man who lives off his fortnightly salary just like me. The country needs to be wary of such fake news circulating on social media.”