K8mil HQ in plans
The National, Wednesday 24th April 2013
PLANS are in place to build a new K8 million provincial headquarters office complex in Kokopo, East New Britain.
Governor Ereman ToBaining Jnr revealed this during the recent provincial assembly meeting.
He was responding to NGO representative Elizabeth Tongne on the progress of plans to build the new office complex.
She said thousands of kina have been spent on renting office space, especially in Kokopo, for public servants in various sectors and divisions. This included hiring out places to conduct provincial assembly sittings.
ToBaining said plans were underway for the complex which would accommodate an assembly gallery and offices for all provincial divisions.
“We are trying to centralise the provincial administration and provincial government to one place.”
ToBaining assured assembly members that during his term in parliament, he would ensure the new office complex was built.
“I agree with Tongne’s concern that a lot of funding is being wasted to rent out office spaces when it should be used on vital infrastructure such as roads and new schools.” ToBaining said.
The provincial headquarters was previously at Vunadidir but was moved to Kokopo town.