Census workers ‘owed’ K500,000

By YVONNE HAIP
IRATE census officers have insisted that they be paid the K500,000 owed to them for their work.
The officers, engaged in the census exercise in Western Highlands, met at the Banz police station in North Waghi on Tuesday morning.
They were angry because not only were they not paid but also soldiers based in Kerowil, near Banz, with the help of Mt Hagen police, tried to secure the release of election manager David Wakias held at the station.
Wakias was arrested and charged by police last week after he allegedly collaborated with electoral commission officers to withdraw more than K499,000 on Dec 14 and Dec 18 last year.
The locals said Wakias should not be granted bail and called for an investigation on him to continue. And they wanted their money to be paid by tomorrow.
They also demanded that Jiwaka interim administration director Nicholas Kuman, who was at the gathering, explain why the payment was made.
Kuman, who is one of the two signatories to the provincial accounts, explained that the fund was released because it belonged to the electoral commission.
He said he was “being crucified by the Jiwaka people and placed to bake in the hot sun” for no good reason because he did not have anything to do with the money.
But the crowd shouted Kuman down and demanded an explanation on why he authorised the release of the money which they said was intended for them.
Spokesperson Peter Marang said all they wanted was for funding to be made available so they could be paid.
Kuman told the census officers, who were holding back completed forms, to release them to the authorities.
Highlands divisional commander Chief Supt Teddy Tei said police investigations would continue on Wakias.