K270mil Covid-19 spending

By REBECCA KUKU
MORE than K270 million was spent on goods and services during the Covid-19 pandemic, according to a report posted by the National Procurement Commission (NPC).
As the nation awaits a full Covid report, the NPC’s website indicates that K276,731,981 was spent for procurement of health and emergency supplies, on advisers, accommodation, hire cars, communication and marketing, food, and travel, among others.
Allocations to only six government departments, seven provinces, and 14 districts are named in the NPC report.
Government departments took up K198,633,781 from these monies with the Health Department alone spending close to K187 million.
Police spent K27 million of Covid funds on hire car (K10mil), fuel (K7mil) and spare parts (K10mil).
One hire company, Pacifica Travel Ltd, was paid more than K5.6 million while a Jake Hire Car, a Lae-based business which had since ceased operation was paid K3.8 million. Island Mobile Hire Car was paid more than K2.9 million.
The media was paid K4.90 million for advertising and other programmes during the pandemic.
And a certain shoe company, Ratz Shoe Shop, received K1.4 million for expenses for “defence and security short-term contract”.
Seven provinces were paid K6,062,981.
They included Central, Morobe, East Sepik, East New Britian, Manus, Eastern Highlands and Jiwaka. East New Britain was reported to have received the highest of more than K4 million.
Some districts were also separately named to have benefited from K7,478,111. They included Sumkar, Bogia, Henganofi, Okapa, Daulo, Kainantu, Goroka, Anglimp South Waghi, North Waghi, Kandrian Gloucester, Talasea, Abau, Kairuku and Goilala.
Okapa district spent the highest of K1.6 million.
On March 20, 2020, the first positive case of the Coronavirus (Covid-19) was detected in Papua New Guinea. That same day, a state of emergency was declared in the country, and all domestic flights were grounded.
Two months later, the country’s international borders were also closed.
By 2022, the country officially reported a cumulative total of 44,752 infections and 662 coronavirus-related deaths.
More than 30 development agencies provided funding support worth billions in the form of grants and loans in response to Covid-19 shocks. The National could not get comments from the Covid-19 pandemic controller, police commissioner David Manning, and deputy controller, Health Department secretary Dr Osborne Liko.