Hides locals disagree with disbursements

TWENTY-six clan chiefs and relatives of late paramount chief of Tuguba tribe, Himuni Homogo, insisted that the government must pay all outstanding MoA and verbal ministerial commitments as agreed to at UBSA and LBBSA.
Tom Kapo, and late Homogo’s son, Hebe Himuni, and other 26 chiefs of Tuguba said “the custodian of the prophetic gigira laitebo (gas) insisted that all payments for any outstanding MoA commitments must be paid according to UBSA and LBBSA and verbal ministerial commitments by government ministers.
Responding to acting Prime Minister Sam Abal’s earlier statement on how the MoA payments will be made, Kapo and Hinumni said the government should not change the goal as precedent had been set in the payout out more than K500 million after the Kokopo UBSA and LBBSA.
“Is there any new agreement signed between the Tugubas and the state that Abal is talking about?” Kapo asked.
“If he is talking about the remainder of the Kokopo and LBBSA MoA and ministerial commitments, then the government must pay accordingly.”
Though the leaders agreed with Abal that all MoA payments were tied to projects, they also wanted to know the implementation progress of MoA projects that were undertaken from the K500 million.
“Where are the projects that were implemented from the K500 million?
“If the government and Abal cannot show us where the projects are, the outstanding MoA commitments must be disbursed in the same manner as they did to the previous K500 million MoA funds,” Kapo added.
Abal on Wednesday said all MoA payments were tied to projects agreed at the various signing.
He said NEC would deliberate on the process as to how the MoA funds would be directed and disbursed.
Meanwhile, Kapo and the relatives of Himuni, delivered a petition yesterday to the acting prime minister’s office outlining their outstanding MoA claims, demanding for all to be settled within five days.
Himuni said his father’s casket would not leave Port Moresby for burial until their demands are met.
The body is still at the funeral home.