FOE group denies receiving millions in SSG, MoA funds

FOE Association has denied receiving K53 million in SSG and MoA funds from the Government.
The Southern Highlands landowner group also denied receiving a court order obtained by the Kutubu local level government special purpose authority (KLLGSPA) stop them from receiving SSG and MoA funds.
Association general secretary Hami Yawari said yesterday that his association had been asking the National Government to pay K120 million in SSG and MoA funds due to landowners with no response.
He said if funds had been released, then it must have been released to somebody else and not the legitimate landowners, who are the signatories to the Kutubu petroleum agreement (KPA).
Mr Yawari also apologised to Planning Secretary Valentine Kambori, Treasury Secretary Simon Tosali and Chief Secretary Isaac Lupari, for being unnecessarily dragged into the dispute.
“As far as Foe Association is concerned, we have agreed that the SSG and MoA funds go direct to the Kutubu Development Authority (KDA) or the respective landowner associations, who are party to the KPA,” Mr Yawari said.
“Foe Association is a signatory to the KPA for Foe landowners and we will not allow KLLGSPA to receive SSG and MoA funds on behalf of Foe landowners.”
He said clause 4 (4.5) of the KPA, KDA should receive the SSG and MoA funds and not KLLGSPA.
Mr Yawari said KLLGSPA was the infrastructure implementing agency of Kutubu local level government and did not represent landowners’ interests.