‘Sinasina-Yongumugl lacks developments’

THE Sinasina-Yongumugl district in Chimbu has nothing to show from its district services improvement programme (DSIP) funds.
This was the conclusion drawn by senior officers from the Office of Rural Development (ORD) after visiting the district early last month to assess the implementation of the DSIP.
Officers said like all other districts, Sinasina-Yongumugl also received its DSIP funding of K17 million, however, there was nothing to show for it.
The assessment team was by led ORD Highlands region one manageress Anna Bae.
She said there was nil implementation on impact projects that were documented and approved for the district.
The officers also held meetings with local level government representatives and the public.
“In comparison to Kerowagi, Gumine, Kundiawa-Gembogl and Chuave districts, today I see
no physical implementation of impact projects in your district,” Bae told the Sinasina-Yongumugl district administration and villagers who had gathered.
She explained that the DSIP component of K500,000 was divided into two.
The first K250,000 was the MP’s discretionary fund and the other half was for the district administration to fund its recurrent expenditure.
“The K10 million DSIP is to improve essential services like health, education, infrastructure, law and order, water supply, communication and power and agriculture.
“The K4 million is for capacity building alone.
“Today, I am here on site and see literally nil projects,” Bae added.
Leader of the Gunangi tribe Paul Marame called on parliament speaker and local MP Jeffery Nape to make regular visits to the electorate.
He said funds allocated were not spent according to set guidelines and principles, amounting to serious breaches of the Public Finance Management Act.
Former MP Robert Kola urged the public servants to be loyal to their superiors in performing their duties.
He urged district administrator Bal Numapo to charge and transfer renegade officers to other districts.
Kola also called on treasury staff not to conspire with politicians in processing claims according to their wishes.
Many speakers at separate meetings call on relevant authorities, including the provincial treasurer and administrator, Ombudsman Commission and the police fraud squad to look into DSIP monies belonging to Sinasina-Yongumugl.
Repeated attempts to get the speaker or his office to respond to the claims were in vain.