Kuman denies he is sole signatory

By YVONNE HAIP
JIWAKA interim administration director Nicholas Kuman has refuted recent media reports he is the sole signatory to the administration’s accounts.
Kuman clarified that the North Waghi district treasury was controlling Jiwaka funds and Western Highlands treasurer Ben Merenge and he were signatories to the account.
He said the administration, during the Jiwaka Transitional Authority meeting last November, had allocated K300,000 to upgrade all police stations and none for police allowances.
He said of the K300,000, K169,380 had been paid for police operations while the remaining K131,669 would be paid. It was up to police to decide how to spend the money.
Kuman said another K500,000 paid by the Electoral Commission had been drawn by electoral officers. He had nothing to do with it.
He said work was being carried out on a double classroom at Minj Secondary School using K200,000 and the building would be completed before the school year.
Kuman said he was not aware of any unpaid employees under JTA as all had been paid and those making damaging statements through the media were only trying to discredit him.
Acting assistant commissioner of police (Highlands), Teddy Tei said Kuman had not been attacked by police last Tuesday.
He said funds had been allocated by JTA to buy firearms, uniforms and for other operational costs, while administration chairman and North Waghi MP Benjamin Mul had allocated another K300,000 for maintenance work on the Banz single barracks.
Tei alleged the funds had been diverted to other projects which, he said, Kuman should know about.