Embel denies receiving K51m for Nipa-Kutubu

MEMBER for Nipa-Kutubu Philemon Embel has denied receiving K51 million.
National Planning and Monitoring Minister Sam Basil told parliament last week that Nipa-Kutubu had received so much from the development budget through the Public Investment Programme under the previous Somare-Abal regime.
He said the electorate also received K7 million under the district market programme, which was three times more than what was allocated “but no projects had been delivered”.
While denying knowledge of the K51 million, Embel, however, said he was aware of some millions of kina going into the district treasury.
But he did not say if he had tried finding out what these transactions were for.
However, Basil told parliament that K67 million was released for district market projects with K7 million going to Nipa-Kutubu and K1.8 million to John Pundari’s Kompiam-Ambum electorate.
He said only 47 districts received market funding while 40 missed out.
He said of the K40 million released for the rural roads programme, K8 million was expanded for “unbudgeted agriculture projects” in Komo-Margarima out of the K24.9 million received by Southern Highlands.
“This is 60.2% of the total released,” Basil said.
However, Komo-Margarima MP Francis Potape denied receiving any such funding (story on Page 4).
Basil said last year, K79.1 million was released for the rural electrification programme in 12 districts with Pomio and Angoram districts receiving K10 million each while the other 10 were paid K2 million each.
He said this year, K8.4 million was released for rural communication but K1 million of the allocation was diverted to an Ambu Koma cocoa project.
Basil told parliament that of the K178 million released for the district services improvement programme, K136 million was paid out on July 22 last year when a vote of no-confidence was moved against the Somare-Abal government.
He said in 2009, K67 million was released through the social services programme where much of it went to Komo-Margarima, Nipa-Kutubu, Pomio, Kompiam-Ambum, Aitape-Lumi, Madang and Hagen.
Member for Aitape-Lumi Patrick Pruiatch admitted to receiving funds through the church partnership programme to assist Catholic church-run activities in the electorate.