Bai: Probe NADP funds

RURAL Industries Council chairman Sir Brown Bai has urged the government to investigate the use of National Agriculture Development Plan (NADP) funds.
“Farmers around the country were to be the beneficiaries and recipients of these funds but were ignored and the funds had been misused and spent elsewhere,” Sir Brown said in a statement yesterday.
He claimed that “laptop farmers” in Port Moresby were the recipients of funds while the real farmers were ignored.
“Those involved in the misuse of funds should be held accountable and face criminal charges,” he said.
“We demand to know the truth about the expenditure of the NADP funds.
“Those persons found stealing or misusing these funds must be firmly and swiftly dealt with.” 
Sir Brown said as 2013 was the “year of implementation” he was seeking the government’s support to get the NADP implemented in a “timely and transparent” manner.
He also urged the government to involve the commodity boards, growers associations and the private sector in the process of selection because they were the representatives of the farmers throughout the country.
“The process and procedure to access these funds must also be streamlined so that farmers know exactly where to go and whom to see.
“At present the process is cumbersome, resulting in the farmers being marginalised.
“The agriculture sector holds the key to the livelihood of the majority of the people in this country and therefore needs every support from the government and the communities at large to work together to develop it,” he said.
Attempts for comments from Agriculture and National Planning departments were unsuccessful yesterday.