Plea to God

Joseph Kingal Ministry prays for rise-from-the-dead miracle

By RIGGO NANGAN

Directors of the Joseph Kingal Ministry talking to reporters for the first time in Lae about the death of their leader and evangelist Pastor Joseph Kingal who died in a tragic road accident on Monday. – Nationalpic by RIGGO NANGAN

DIRECTORS of the Joseph Kingal Minstry have “petitioned” God to resurrect their evangelist founder Pastor Joseph Kingal, who died tragically in a highway accident near Lae on Monday, The National reports.

While accepting the medical announcement that Kingal was dead on arrival at the Angau Memorial Hospital on Monday evening, the directors told reporters in Lae yesterday that like-minded Christians nationwide had been praying with them for a miracle since then, “petitioning God in prayer for the return of his spirit”.

The bizarre twist of events started hours after Kingal’s body was taken to his Omili suburb home where directors of the Joseph Kingal Ministry (JKM) kept an all-night vigil on the body, some even suggesting that he was not dead.

Church leaders and Christians in their droves had been flocking to Lae since word got around that a second resurrection – that of Kingal – was in the making.

Yesterday, the directors issued an official statement on the events of the previous 48 hours.

“We confirm that Pastor Joseph Kingal was pronounced dead upon arrival at Angau the same day, however, the JKM board, the leaders fraternal and Christians around the country are petitioning God in prayer for the return of his spirit,” the statement said.

The JKM board, leaders fraternal and Christian followers said what they were doing was biblical –  in asking God for two things, which were “for God to return Kingal’s spirit to his body and, if it is the contrary, then God would reveal so”.

The leaders said in the statement that the obvious reasons for resurrection were that Kingal had started a great ministry work which would now be left uncompleted.  

“God is sovereign and we are not questioning his sovereignty but, as human beings, we are pleading God’s own word that he has done it and he can do it,” they said, adding that if God had decided to take the pastor’s life, then they were waiting anxiously for an answer from God.”

The leaders said in the statement that Christians nationwide and abroad were also in the same spirit of prayer and, upon receiving a response, another statement would be released to specify the next cause of action.

The JKM board and leaders fraternal also said they were planning on evacuating the Kingal family, who were injured but in stable condition at the Angau hospital, abroad for a speedy treatment and recovery.

Wife Susan Kingal is on life support at a ward at Angau hospital as well as one of their four children, who is also being watched closely by doctors in a ward at the hospital.

“We are considering relocating them to a hospital overseas to accord them appropriate treatment,” they said. 

They have extended a call to all Christians and followers around the country, who wish to help in this cause, to send their contributions to One Church Ministry account number 0012749795 at the ANZ bank Lae branch.

All the while, family members of the Kingals and their Rolkaga tribes of Dei in Western Highlands were holding back the pain and sorrow.

Family member Sam Koim, who spoke for the families and tribe, said they were leaving the situation with the JKM board, the fraternal leaders and Christians to pray for God to have his way.

“It was a tragedy for us but we are holding back our tears and waiting for whatever answer God gives through the prayers,” Koim said, adding that whatever the ministry board comes up with, they will take on from there.

JKM board member Paul Barry said the death of the evangelist was a shock to the revival ministries around the country.

“We are still trying to come to terms with what has happened,” he said.

Pr John Garu from the COC church in Lae said the death of the evangelist was a shock to the ministries.

Pr Veneo Kario, who the late evangelist conducted an evangelistic meeting with in Madang and was returning to Lae where he met his fate, was lost for words and did not say much. He could only agreed with what other ministry board members and the Christian fraternal had to say. 

Pr Newman Watapi, a JKM board executive who chaired the press conference yesterday, said the news so far in the media about the tragedy was not sanctioned by them.

He said they were deep in prayer because they believed God could perform miracles.

State ordered to pay N ew Ireland K400m

By ISAAC NICHOLAS

 

THE state has been ordered to pay the New Ireland provincial government K400 million by Nov 19, The National reports.

This was outstanding memorandum of agreement (MoA) funds from the Lihir gold mining project owed to the provincial government stretching back 15 years.

On Wednesday, the National Court ordered the state solicitor to liaise with the Mineral Resources Authority, MRDC and other key government agencies to agree on how to settle the claim.

Presiding judge Justice Ambeng Kandakasi directed all parties to return to court on Nov 9.

However, he expected the outstanding MoA payments to be settled by Nov 19.

He said the national government had, over the years, held the people of New Ireland at ransom when it failed to honour the agreement.

In welcoming the court decision, Namatanai MP Byron Chan said it was sad that the provincial government had to take the matter to court to be resolved.

“It is a day of mixed feelings.

“It is sad that we have to take the government to court after years of mediation and appeals, including our countless number of questions during parliament sessions.

“We are happy that justice has been served for the people and government of New Ireland,” Chan said.

“We anticipate that the court decision will force the government to honour its outstanding commitments.”

New Ireland Governor Sir Julius Chan said the provincial government had documents to prove that the prime minister had instructed his finance and treasury minister to pay New Ireland its money.

“Stupidly, I followed this assertion and punch this into the budget and, now, we have a big hole in our budget.”

Sir Julius said he felt sorry for the people of Southern Highlands that if they look closely at the New Ireland example, they would be fighting for their MoA funding in court for the next 20 years given the national government’s poor record.

Meanwhile, government sources revealed that the court decision would impact on the supplementary budget and budget proper to be handed down next month.

 

 

Tiensten backs O'Neill

NATIONAL Planning Minister Paul Tiensten has called on the PNG Sustainable Development Program to change its strategy, and align itself with the government’s development plan.

Tiensten said he supported the call by Treasurer Peter O’Neill that the PNGSDP needed to change to redirect its focus.

“I agree with the principle the minister (O’Neill) is pushing.

“The PNGSDP must align itself with the national government’s development plans and priorities. It must support the budget and the medium-term development plan.

“We will not achieve much if it runs parallel programmes, or did things in isolation of the government. We should work together to meet our development objectives,” Tiensten said yesterday.

O’Neill told AAP on Wednesday he was not happy with BHP Billiton’s belief PNGSDP was performing well.

“I responded (in a second letter) saying this is unacceptable to us and there are ongoing discussions now about some changes to be made.

“Government is not trying to take control of decision making ... we are generally concerned about their ability to deliver their programmes,” he said.

Despite O’Neill’s calls for “new blood”, he then issued a statement on Wednesday night denying he demanded the sacking of PNGSDP board members.

PNGSDP was set up by BHP Billiton in 2002 when it exited the mine after environment damages led to a web of legal challenges.

O’Neill attacked PNGSDP on Wednesday for failing to deliver improvements needed after the environmental disaster at the Ok Tedi copper mine.

He said there were growing concerns among PNG leaders and citizens that the PNGSDP had achieved little after nearly a decade.

PNGSDP chief executive officer David Sode had invited O’Neill to visit the programe’s projects to see their positive impacts.

“The accountability of the government is one thing; our accountability is very clear, the public annual report, we hold the books open, you can tell where every penny goes,” Sode said.

“If the same yardstick is used in other development agencies and government, it will be very revealing.” – AAP

 

Marengo inks financing deal with China

By PATRICK TALU

 

MARENGO Mining (MGO), the operator of the Yandera gold, copper and molybdenum project in Madang, has signed a landmark financing and off-take deal with a Chinese construction and engineering group for its 100% owned Yandera project, The National reports.

In a statement released yesterday, MGO said the memorandum of understanding (MOU) with China’s Nonferrous Metal Industry’s Foreign Engineering and Construction (NFC) was facilitated by Perth-based Arccon WA Pty Ltd (Arccon).

Under the MOU, Marengo has agreed to work exclusively with NFC and Arccon to establish the cost and programme for delivery of the Yandera project in parallel with the completion of the current definitive feasibility study (DFS).

Marengo’s managing director Les Emery said: “This potentially paves the way for formal agreements which will underpin the development of one of the world’s significant new copper projects.”

“While the foundation of the MOU is the construction and engineering contract for the Yandera project, it is important to note that the deal also contemplates NFC facilitating project finance and concentrate off-take for the project, together with potentially investing either in Marengo or the project, or both,” he said.

NFC president Wang Hongqian added: “NFC looks forward to a close and co-operative relationship with Marengo Mining as we work together to lay the foundations for one of the world’s biggest new copper mines in PNG.”

They said the discussions would be conducted to enter into a formal construction agreement (engineering, procurement and construction or EPC contract).

Here, Marengo will appoint NFC as the principal contractor, under a lump-sum turnkey contract, following a detailed evaluation of the project construction costs to be undertaken by NFC as part of the final stage of the DFS.

 

 

A nation mourns

Flashback: Kingal in China during the international students’ convention last year. More than 500 foreigners in China attended this annual convention in Beijing. Kingal had also ministered the Word of God to believers in Russia. – Picture courtesy of MATHEW YAKAI

PAPUA NEW Guinea is in mourning over the sudden and tragic loss of evangelist Joseph Kingal.

Kingal, in his early 40s, from Western Highlands, as the head of The Word, The Spirit and The Cross evangelistic ministries based at Omili, Lae, was seen as the flag bearer of hope and redemption in a country racked with social problems, The National reports.

The graduate accountant-turned preacher and wife, Susan, registered the evangelistic movement as directors in 1996 and went on nationwide crusades wooing in thousands to their nightly sessions.

Their messages, based on the Bible at the week-long crusades, hit a chord with thousands of people at all levels of society.

Many people from the streets and settlements of Lae, Port Moresby, Mt Hagen, Goroka, Madang and Rabaul were shocked upon learning of Kingal’s demise in a nasty traffic accident on a bridge in the Markham Valley, Morobe, while returning from a crusade in Madang.

The influence he wielded was so much so that his death had sparked people into taking up a national government function of building and maintaining infrastructure. People are now trying to set up a fund from donations from the public to make the Zumim bridge safe.

Many callers yesterday were told that Kingal had passed away and that his wife was at the Angau Memorial Hospital requiring life-saving surgery and one of their children was being monitored while in a critical condition.

Outside his ministry at the old Tanubada ice cream factory at Omili, hundreds of mourners and well-wishers tried to gain entry but were prevented.

Members of the ministry had barred the public, only allowing pastors to enter as Kingal’s body lay, having been transferred from Angau Memorial Hospital.

More mourners were flocking in by road from Madang and the highlands provinces of Enga, Southern, Western, Chimbu and Eastern.

Traffic officers at Air Niugini said many more would be travelling in from Port Moresby, Kimbe and Rabaul.

In Port Moresby, a prayer vigil was being held by fellow evangelist Pastor Joseph Walters where hundreds of mourners attended.

Kingal’s death had gripped a nation so much so that public office holders, including Governor-General Sir Paulias Matane and settlement dwellers, were sending in their condolences to the media.

An attempt to blanket news coverage was made by the managing director of Wantok Radiolight, Pawa Warena, who asked not to broadcast “any more stories” about the accident “until advised by the Joseph Kingal Ministry”.

But public demand for details surrounding the death, and of the state of his family members, was overwhelming.

MP blames government for Kingal's death

By RIGGO NANGAN

 

MARKHAM MP Koni Iguan yesterday blamed the government for the death of prominent evangelist Pastor Joseph Kingal, The National reports.

Iguan, who appeared upset when he went on Radio Morobe’s Kundu FM yesterday morning, said the relatives of those who have died from accidents occurring at the “death trap” Zumim Bridge in Markham Valley, and should sue the government for negligence.

Iguan said he had, on numerous occasions, been calling on the government to redesign the bridge to a safer standard after an increase in accidents and deaths were attributed to its current state.

Two months ago, Iguan, accompanied by Bulolo MP Sam Basil and Tewai-Siassi MP Vincent Michaels, visited the bridge and pleaded with the government to do something.

He said he had brought the matter up in parliament where Works and Transport Minister and Deputy Prime Minister Don Polye gave an assurance that he would “look into it”.

Iguan said at the time of taking the matter up in parliament, the number of deaths stood at 56.

“As I speak now, the number has soared to almost 200,” he said.

“They were told something like this would happen and there was ample time to do something to prevent it, but they failed.”

Iguan said he would file a petition to Polye and give the government 14 days to act, in default, he would mobilise his people and they would block off the road to get attention.

“I am sad over the death of this young spiritual leader.

“Kingal has contributed meaningfully to both the spiritual and economical developments of the country,” he said.

 

 

Fifteen break out of Hagen police lockup

By JAMES APA GUMUNO

 

FIFTEEN remandees broke out of an overcrowded Mt Hagen police cell on Monday afternoon during a heavy downpour, The National reports.

The National Court remandees from Baisu jail broke the brick wall, jumped over the security fence and dashed to freedom.

Metropolitan commander Chief Insp John Kale said yesterday that the 15 escapees were among 99 who had been locked up in the cell which was built to hold no more than 50 prisoners.

He said the remandees had been brought from the jail to the police cell to await their court appearances when they escaped under the cover of heavy rain between 3pm and 4pm.

Kale said that none had been recaptured after the alarm was raised.

He said that the breakout would not have happened if the cell blocks had been renovated and the holes in the brick work patched.

Kale said numerous requests had been made to headquarters for funds to renovate but to no avail.

Meanwhile, he appealed to the people to cooperate with police and correctional services officers to recapture the escapees.

He said that these escapees were dangerous and posed a big threat to the community.

Attempts made to get in touch with Baisu jail commander yesterday afternoon for further comments were unsuccessful.