Committee insists on public accounts audit

By HELEN TARAWA
CHAIRMAN of the Parliamentary Committee on public accounts John Pundari wants the Government to adequately fund their work.
Pundari acknowledged the Marape-Government for having confidence in him to lead the committee.
“I assure the Government and parliament that the committee members will return the confidence in playing our bit in taking back PNG with a vibrant and active public accounts committee going forward,” he said.
“The public accounts committee’s key functions are to examine and report to Parliament public accounts of PNG and on the control of and on transactions with or concerning public money
and properties of Papua New Guinea.
“Apart from the committee commencing work based on audit reports and conclusions of the auditor-general, it also conducts its own inquiry into matters deemed by the committee of national importance.
“On behalf of my deputy chairman, Northern Governor Gary Juffa and my committee members, five of whom are governors, I undertake to involve these powers and authorities to look into certain issues that have been escaping public scrutiny for far too
long.
“Parliamentary committees are an extension of parliament itself when it is not sitting and I intend to put the committee to work full steam.
“We undertake to revive the public accounts committee and start the process of taking back PNG from those who continue to plunder, misuse, abuse and misappropriate money and properties by exposing them and subjecting them to public scrutiny.
“We will go one step further to establish dialogue with law enforcement agencies and other constitutional holders like the public prosecutor’s office, the police, the Ombudsman Commission and others.
“I thank the prime minister, the committee members and I look forward to contributing our bit to nation-building.”