Councillor queries payment

By Francis Poka
A  Poloko Ward 1 councillor in Pangia, Southern Highlands, is unhappy over the council’s grant payment.
Cr Lapa Yoke blamed the Ialibu-Pangia administrator for not paying the eight councillors the grant which was given by Ialibu–Pangia MP and Prime Minister Peter O’Neill.
Yoke said the money was their MP’s discretion funds and was to be paid out this month to the 34 councillors.
He said of the 34 councillors, 26 had been paid and eight missed out from the grant without any reason being given. 
Yoke said each councillor was paid K2,500 and that the payment was for elected councillors who missed out on council grants for the past four years.
He said it was unfair that other councillors were paid and a few had been left out.
He said the money was committed by their local MP to reward hard working councillors.
“A cheque for K2,500 cheque was paid to an ex-councillor I don’t know how that money was paid to a wrong person when it should have been paid to me,” Yoke said.
Yoke said all LLG grants must come through the LLG adviser and then to the LLG president as that would be a more transparent way of dealing with council grants.
He said the wantok system and corruption should not practised in public office.