Alotau MP Hon. Ricky Morris officially opened the Digital Financial Literacy Training rollout in Alotau, Milne Bay Province, on Thursday morning, 24 September 2026.
The opening was held at the Alotau United Church Training Room.
Addressing participants, Mr Morris said digital technology was becoming part of everyday life and urged them to use the training to strengthen their knowledge and financial decisions.
“Digital technology and digitisation of our systems and our work is no longer an option,” he said. He observed that many adults were learning to adapt to tools that younger generations had grown up using, making digital skills increasingly important across communities.
Mr Moses encouraged participants to share what they learnt with their families and communities. Describing knowledge as a source of power, he said the training could help them influence others and make informed choices about saving, business and their futures.
“Knowledge is power,” he said. “Without knowledge, there’s no power for you to shine a light and make decisions.”
He also challenged participants to consider how their daily financial choices could support longer-term goals. Mr Morris said he hoped the programme would help young people move from a spending culture towards a saving culture, while giving small businesses greater confidence to grow. He affirmed the district’s support for the training and officially declared the rollout open.
CEFI Master Trainer Ms Lilly Namunu thanked Mr Morris for attending and for his continued support of financial literacy training. She said his presence encouraged her work as a trainer in Milne Bay.
Ms Namunu explained that the Alotau programme marked the start of a new Digital Financial Literacy Training module in the province. She outlined plans for three training batches and said approximately 75 participants were expected to graduate across the rollout. She also acknowledged the support of banking partners who help participants open accounts and access financial services.
CEFI’s Manager for NFIS Coordination and Stakeholder Engagement, Mr Danny Koka, then spoke about the practical value of digital financial skills.
He said the training would help participants understand how to use services such as mobile and internet banking to check balances, send money and receive payments.
As technology changes the way people use financial services, Mr Koka said it was important for individuals to understand the products available to them and gain confidence in using them.
He linked the rollout to CEFI’s wider work with provincial partners to bring financial education and access to more communities.
The opening brought together local leadership, trainers, financial service representatives and participants around a shared goal: helping people use digital banking with greater knowledge and confidence. Through the training, participants will be
better placed to apply those skills in their households, communities and businesses.
Ends.
CEFI was established under the Association Incorporation Act and officially launched on the 24th of April 2013. CEFI was endorsed by PNG’s National Executive Council (NEC) as the industry apex organization for coordinating, advocating and monitoring all financial inclusion activities in PNG.
CEFI’s vision, mission and values focus on financial inclusion and literacy, poverty elimination and the promotion of vibrant financial institutional operation in Papua New Guinea.
Visit our website – www.thecefi.org
Media Contact:
Mr. Leslie Omaro
Communication Officer
Phone: 79736883
Email: lomaro@thecefi.org
