EHP passes K280m budget

 By ZACHERY PER

THE Eastern Highlands provincial government has unanimously passed its 2016 ‘maintenance’ budget of nearly K300 million on Wednesday. 

Governor Julie Soso Akeke said the 2016 budget as  a ‘maintenance budget’ where the focus would be to maintain the existing programmes as a rollover of K71 million last year to this year. She was concerned at the budget cut of over K38 million that would affect some of the important programmes in the province.

In 2015 the province received K323 million  but this year it received K284 million, a decrease of K38 million. 

“I am happy that we are now able to pass this budget at the first meeting of 2016. Though we have problems we have our responsibilities and commitments to fulfill,” Soso said. “I assure all eight MPs from Eastern Highlands and LLGs that the budget is fairly distributed across the districts.”

She said despite criticism of her leadership she was able to deliver services and remove impediments to make decisions in the provincial administration.

“The present impasse dragged on because some MPs took sides and did not support me. I give priority to transparency, accountability, good governance and service delivery in the province,” Soso said.

She said the provincial government and administration would use the 2016 budget to achieve some of the impact projects.

“I appeal to local MPs to fill in the shortfalls with their DSIP funds to help alleviate problems and achieve results for the 600,000 people of the eight districts in Eastern Highlands province,” Soso said.

She said her government’s priority in health, education, roads, transport infrastructures remained, adding church partnerships and support to the 264 wards and ward women’s associations would continue this year. Also present were the Lands Minister and Unggai-Bena MP Ben Allen,  Obura-Wonenara MP Merrah Minnie Kipef and the LLG presidents.