Capital investment gets K4.6 billion

National

The total 2018 capital investment budget is K4.6 billion, National Planning and Monitoring Minister Richard Maru says.
He said the financing sources of the capital investment budget included:

  • Direct Government financing of K3.025 billion;
  • Grants financing of K1.024 billion (Australia – K642.96 million, European Union – K135.61 million, United Nations – K120 million, Japan International Cooperation Agency – K63.68 million, New Zealand – K43.67 million)
  • Loan financing – K593.90 million.

Maru said distribution of the capital investment budget by sectors were:

  • Administration – K550.90 million;
  • Education – K348.67 million;
  • Health – K505.17 million;
  • Community and Culture – K59.86 million;
  • Law and Justice – K179.83 million;
  • Economic – K638.91 million;
  • Transport – K702.27 million;
  • Utilities – K366.98 million; and
  • Provinces, including SIPs (sector investment programme) and other projects – K1. 291 billion.

Maru said the administration sector would receive K23 million for the National E-ID card project, proving the Government’s intention to create a national population database and put in place key hard and software in order to register all Papua New Guinean citizens before the 2022 national election.
“It will also provide faster and more efficient access to general public services.
“We will continue to invest in the Financial Management Information Project (FMIP) through an allocation of K20 million to roll out the IFMS (Integrated Financial Management System) system to the provinces and districts to promote more accountability as more resources through SIPs are going down to the sub-national governments,” he said.
He said that the education sector received significant capital funding over the past years.
“Tuition fee free programme ensured access to education, increasing the enrolment rate.
“However, now we are focusing on quality education. Apart from direct grant funding through the tuition fee free education programme, the Government is determined to improve the quality of teaching, hence, is investing more funds to increase enrollment in tertiary institutions, including universities and Tvet (Technical and Vocational Education and Training) colleges.
“The Government will continue to work with its important development partners to build critical infrastructure and provide administrative support to improve the quality of education in the country.
“In health, the main objective is the primary and preventative healthcare.
“For the first time the Government introduces a district hospitals programme, allocating K50 million to rehabilitate and upgrade district hospitals to bring health services closer to the people.
“The 2018 capital budget continues to invest in improving the quality of healthcare services with total direct funding of K247.8 million while loans and grants contributed K257.37 million.”