K500,000 gone in days

By JAMES APA GUMUNO
THE K500,000 allocated by the Electoral Commission for the common-roll update in Jiwaka was withdrawn by 12 senior electoral officers within two days.
A total of K499,216 was withdrawn on Nov 14 and 18 last year.
Some of the provincial election managers from the highlands received part of the money which was allocated by the Electoral Commission to pay officials engaged in the common-roll update in the new Jiwaka pro­vince.
According to the commitment control ledger sheet obtained by The National in Banz, one of the officials received K26,400 as risk allowance. On top of that, he received K9,240 as training allowance and K800 for venue hire on Nov 14.
Another official received K17,700 as risk allowance, K5,195 as training allowance and K800 as venue hire on Nov 14.
Another official received K12,500 as risk allowance, K4,690 as training allowance and K800 for venue hire on Nov 14, 2011.
The same officer received K6,000 on Nov 18 as advance payment.
A total K79,250 was paid to a hire vehicle company based in Mt Hagen last Nov 18.
A big portion of the money, K206,580 was paid as enrolment allowance and picked up by another officer.
Some money was paid for diesel, accommodation, and allowances for a few officers.
Three officials – Andrew Walep, Martin Korom, and Mark Bob – representing other officers engaged in the common-roll update in Jimi, North Waghi and South Waghi confronted Jiwaka Transitional Authority members in Banz last Tuesday and demanded that their allowance be paid before they would submit their enrolment forms.
They said they did not know why it was taking so long for the authority to pay them.
An authority member said in Banz there was no money left to pay the officials.
He said the K500,000 given by Electoral Commission to the authority for the common-roll update was paid to a few officers last November and there was no money left to pay the officials engaged in the common-roll update.
He said the names of the people who alle­gedly misused the money had been given to acting Jiwaka provincial police commander Billy Kombil last month but he had done nothing about it.
He appealed to Police Commissioner Tom Kulunga to appoint a new commander with a higher rank to replace Kombil.