National narcotics bureau plans Morobe office

The National Narcotics Bureau is working to establish a provincial coordination office in Morobe to strengthen drug awareness and improve coordination with communities and government agencies.

Director General Kiria Kotange says a two-week training and awareness program is underway in Morobe to prepare community representatives to become narcotics ambassadors.

The program includes one week of training followed by a week of community awareness activities involving youth, women, public servants and law enforcement personnel nominated by the Morobe Provincial Administration in consultation with partner agencies.

“Our aim is to bring more awareness into the communities, to the provinces, to make people aware of the drugs being used in our country,” Kotange says.

He says the program supports the implementation of a Memorandum of Understanding signed between the Bureau and the Morobe Provincial Administration in May this year to establish a narcotics coordination office in the province.

Morobe is part of the Bureau’s broader plan to expand its presence beyond the national headquarters and improve its reach across Papua New Guinea.

Kotange says marijuana remains a major concern, while other drugs, including methamphetamine and cocaine, also pose challenges.

He says the Bureau focuses on drug awareness, coordination and reporting, while police are responsible for arrests and law enforcement.

“The enforcement power lies with the police. The arresting power is done by the police,” he says.

Deputy Director for Policy and Operations Robert Naipat says inadequate government funding remains a major obstacle to extending the Bureau’s programs across the country’s 22 provinces.

The Bureau currently operates from its national headquarters and has recently established an office in Bougainville, with Morobe expected to be the next province to receive a coordination office.

“Unfortunately, the government does not allocate enough budget to the National Narcotics Bureau, so that is an impediment that prevents the Bureau from reaching out to all the provinces in the country,” Naipat says.

Both officials are calling for stronger cooperation between government agencies, businesses, community organisations and the public, particularly young people, to address drug abuse.

The proposed Morobe office is expected to strengthen provincial coordination and support ongoing efforts to educate communities about drug use and its impacts.