“I am not a millionaire” Prime Minister Marape

Prime Minister James Marape has denied a viral social media post, naming him as the richest Papua New Guinean.

“I am not the richest person in Papua New Guinea as this fake post claims.

“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.

“I 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.”

Mr Marape said the viral post was misleading and mischievous given the current political situation in the country and instructed the Department of Information and Communications Technology and other [line] agencies to identify those responsible for spreading such false information about him and other leaders.

The 10 richest people in PNG according to the social media post, 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.

“This post, and others of similar nature, are fake and fabricated and deliberately done to smear the names of leaders,” Mr Marape 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.”