Maru upset over delay in UPNG projects

By Alphonse Porau
Minister for National Planning and Monitoring Richard Maru has demanded answers for the delay in the completion of two Government-funded projects at the University of Papua New Guinea.
He told the UPNG management and department staff during his brief meeting and visit of the site yesterday to compile reports on why the projects were not completed on time.
The new buildings are for the science and law faculties of the university.
“I am not happy that these two buildings are not completed when a lot of money has been put into these projects.
“I am interested to know why these building are incomplete; is it because of funding or the variations, I want to know so that our government will make a decision.”
He said from the brief he received the projects were funded over and above the actual tenders and wanted that to be verified before he presented a brief to the Cabinet on the status of the projects.
“For the science building the tender is K30.4mil but the department says they have given K53.1 and for the law building the tender was K47.9mil and the department gave K52.1mil.
“For both projects the funds have been released.  That is what the department is saying and I want a brief on how much money was put in the project in physical cash and what were the contract values and variations. I am here to collect the facts,” Maru said.
Acting Vice-Chancellor Vincent Malaibe said there was a project committee set up to manage the projects and under his leadership no variation was executed and they only utilised what was given.
He said in 2015 the projects did not receive any funding from the Government and that year was a complete waste. He said they only received money recouped from the School of Business building project which was supposed to be built by the Government.
Department of National Planning and Monitoring Secretary Hakaua Harry said they have given a lot more than what was expected for the two projects and they have put the projects on hold in 2015 to utilise the funds.
She said they would go back and check on what the projects have actually received.
She said they would provide a copy of the warrant from the finance and treasury departments to confirm how much was put into the project account.