Governor-General of Papua New Guinea, Grand Chief Sir Bob Bofeng Dadae, has welcomed a donation of 11 water tanks from local engineering company WP Engineering Ltd to support water storage at Government House.

The tanks, each with a capacity of 4,000 litres, were officially presented by WP Engineering Ltd Chief Ahmad Bin Ismail during a handover ceremony at Government House this week.

Grand Chief Sir Bob said the donation would help address ongoing water supply disruptions affecting both the Office of the Governor-General and staff residing at Government House.

He noted that the contribution comes at a critical time as the country begins experiencing the impacts of El Niño, which is expected to place additional pressure on Port Moresby’s main water source, the Sirinumu Dam in Sogeri.

Sir Bob urged Government House staff to use water responsibly and practice conservation measures to ensure supplies last throughout the anticipated dry period.

He said forecasts indicate that the current El Niño event could be one of the most severe on record and may persist for several months, bringing significant challenges for communities across the Pacific, including reduced water levels at Sirinumu Dam.

The Governor-General expressed his gratitude to WP Engineering Ltd for its generous support, saying the donation would provide much-needed relief and improve water security at Government House.

He also acknowledged the company's continued assistance, noting that WP Engineering Ltd recently installed a new flagpole at Government House, which now flies both the Governor-General’s Personal Standard and Papua New Guinea’s national flag.