Five improve in spending funds on services

 By SONIA KENU 

Chimbu, Central, Manus, West Sepik and Milne Bay are the top five provinces that have shown consistent improvements in spending on basic service delivery in health, education and infrastructure. 

Figures in the 2011 provincial expenditure review launched last Friday by the National Economic and Fiscal Commission has shown that these provinces have the best results over the last three reviewed years 2009-11.

Deputy secretary budgets and fiscal management Aloysius Hamou said the annual analysis is one of the most important references for donor agencies, faith-based organisations and other stakeholders who are interested in how provincial governments are improving service delivery. 

“Report titled ‘Taking Stock’ analyses how much each province has spent on service delivery in 2011 compared to 2007. 

“The provincial expenditure review is also a key publication that the donor agencies such as Australian AID use it as a source of data to assess government spending in basic service delivery. 

“Since 2009, the national government through the department of treasury has doubled the function grant allocation to provinces for the delivery of basic services from K135 million to K343 million.  

“This has now closed the ‘funding gap’ between what is needed and what is being allocated for basic service delivery. 

“We are in 2013 and as we look forward to 2014, we would like to take stock of how we have spent funds at the targeted service delivery activities and plan today for tomorrow.”