WITH less than 12 months to go before writs are issued for General Election 2027 (GE27), the Electoral Commission (EC) plans to use population data collected by ward recorders to identify eligible voters.
However, given the many challenges that have plagued election preparations in the past, can this data be collected and compiled in time?
The question highlights a longstanding issue within a tier of sub-national government that has been largely neglected for decades.
Papua New Guinea’s local level government (LLG) system, which encompasses more than 6,000 wards nationwide, has struggled to remain effective since its establishment nearly 50 years ago.
While the system may have served its purpose during the pre-Independence era, its relevance and effectiveness have diminished over time.
Ward recorders and their records have often been overlooked, with ward-level data rarely featuring prominently in development planning.
Yet with GE27 fast approaching, the Government and its agencies should make better use of ward record books to collect information on the very people they represent.
This effort should be led by the Department of Provincial and Local Level Government Affairs, which launched its national ward record system in Port Moresby on March 23.
Department secretary Philip Leo described the system as the digital backbone of PNG’s sub-national governance, replacing the traditional ward record book that will drive tangible development for the country over the next 50 years.
Provincial and Local Level Government Affairs Minister Soroi Eoe said elected ward councillors and ward recorders would be responsible for entering data into the system.
He also called on provincial governments to support implementation throughout their respective wards.
Leo further stated that the department’s National Framework for Ward Development (2025–2035) aims to establish a genuine bottom-up approach to development planning.
Many would agree that a bottom-up approach has the potential to improve data collection, particularly for national exercises such as the census and general elections.
Most, if not all, records relating to an individual begin at the ward level. Information contained in ward records can support official documentation, including birth, marriage, adoption and death registrations.
Ward records also form the basis of ward and LLG rolls, which can then contribute to the common roll used by the EC.
If fully implemented, the national ward record system could significantly reduce the costs associated with developing, collating and maintaining separate databases at the village, ward, LLG, district and provincial levels.
Instead, these layers could feed into a single national database.
Such a system would provide agencies such as the National Statistical Office (NSO) and the Papua New Guinea Civil and Identity Registry (PNGCIR) with more reliable and accessible information to support evidence-based planning and decision-making.
This process could be made even more efficient now that PNGCIR, the EC and the NSO fall under the Administrative Services Ministry.
Greater collaboration among these agencies would improve the collection, verification and sharing of population data, providing a stronger foundation for socio-economic planning and development.
The challenge now lies in implementation. A modern digital system is only as effective as the quality of the information entered into it.
Adequate training, funding and support must be provided to ward recorders and local administrations if the initiative is to succeed.
As the country prepares for GE27 and looks beyond its 50th year of Independence, the Government has an opportunity to strengthen governance from the ground up.
Only when accurate and up-to-date information is available, can meaningful policies be developed and services delivered effectively for the benefit of all Papua New Guineans.
