Gelu urges authority’s board members to work independently

National

PROVINCIAL and Local Level Government Affairs secretary Dr Alphonse Gelu has urged the new special purposes authority (SPA) board members of the Hides Petroleum Development Licence One (PDL 1) in Komo, Hela, to function independently.
Gelu said the board should work with the Komo local level government (LLG) to ensure that major impact projects were delivered.
“They must operate in a cordial working relationship with the host LLG and implement certain special functions of the LLG,” he said.
“This will ensure that high impact infrastructure development projects such as roads, bridges, hospitals are delivered.”
Gelu told Komo LLG and authority members to respect their functions and remain neutral.
“I encourage the new board members of Hides PDL 1, LLG and SPA to operate within the perimeters of the SPA constitution, the LLG Administration Act and other enabling legislations that govern operations of SPAs and use of public monies,” Gelu said.
“Komo LLG can develop their plans and provide them to the SPA to implement the projects.
“But both parties must understand their functions and collaborate well.”
Newly elected SPA chairman Nickson Iwi assured the people of Hides PDL 1 and Komo LLG that the board would ensure that communities benefited from impact projects.
Iwi said the board would consult the Department of Provincial and Local Level Government Affairs, and other state departments Inter-Government Relations, Planning, Finance and Treasury to ensure that the SPA served its purpose.