April 18, 2016
Wihongi quits as Ngapuhi CEO
The troubled Ngapuhi Runanga has lost its chief executive.
Acting chair Carol Dodd says Allen Wihongi has left to spend time with his whanau.
She says his contribution to the runanga is immeasurable as he enabled it to work towards leading the spiritual, social, cultural, environmental, and economic growth of Ngapuhi.
Before he started working for the runanga 12 years ago Mr Wihongi was well regarded as an educator and accomplished artist, lecturing at the School of Design at Wellington Polytechnic and School of Applied Arts at Northland Polytechnic.
In 2015 he was awarded a Queens Service Medal, becoming a Member of the New Zealand Order of Merit, for services to Maori, the arts, and education.
General manager Erena Kara is acting interim CEO.
Ngapuhi's chair, Sonny Tau, remains on extended leave pending the outcome of charges relating to the hunting and possessing native wood pigeons.
He pleaded guilty and is due to be sentenced in the Invercargill district court next month, but he also faces a related charge of trying to pervert the course of justice.
Mr Tau continues to represent the runanga on fisheries issues and on the board of treaty claims negotiation body Tuhoronuku.
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