Failing Sales, Failing Leaders: PNG’s Culture of Complacency : Koim

Sam Koim, Commissioner General of the Internal Revenue Commission

​In the business world, sales are the ultimate test of leadership. When sales rise, it reflects strong, visionary leadership. When sales fall, it signals failure. Yet in Papua New Guinea, this truth is often ignored, especially in state-owned enterprises (SOEs). Instead of demanding accountability, we tolerate decline as if poor results are normal.

Sam Koim, Commissioner General of the Internal Revenue Commission, makes a blunt point: why should any CEO keep their job when sales continue to drop? In the private sector, falling sales almost always mean the end of a CEO’s tenure. But in PNG, particularly in SOEs, leaders are shielded from accountability even as they preside over collapse.

This culture of protection and complacency has bred mediocrity. Rather than holding CEOs to account, boards and governments often reward underperformance with job security. The result is predictable—SOEs that should be profitable are instead failing, draining public resources, and delivering little value to the people of Papua New Guinea.

Sales are not just about profit—they represent the health, credibility, and relevance of a business. When leaders fail to drive growth, they fail the very purpose of their organization. To ignore falling sales is to ignore a clear signal that leadership is not working. That is why Koim’s call for accountability is timely and urgent.

PNG’s SOEs are vital to the economy, but they will never reach their potential if weak leadership continues unchecked. Every CEO, whether in a private company or a state-owned entity, must be judged by results. Strong leaders should be celebrated, but those who fail to deliver must be replaced. Anything less is a betrayal of public trust.

Mediocrity thrives where accountability is absent. Unless PNG changes its approach and treats sales as the true measure of leadership, the cycle of underperformance will continue. The message is simple: results matter, and leaders must either deliver or make way for those who will.

Also read
​

• Scapegoat of Deception: Jacob Yafai’s Fall in PNG’s Dark Game
• PNG University Students Urged by Governor Bird to Drive Development Through Knowledge
• ​PNG Government Agencies Blamed for Development Failures
• PNG Court Convicts Former Finance Official  Jacob Yafai Over Misappropriation