Law allows LLGs to raise revenue, says adviser

THE Organic Law on Provincial and Local Level Government (OLPLLG) enables the local level governments to raise revenue apart from National Government grants, an official in Morobe says.
Provincial and local level government programme adviser Roy Naiab said this in response to queries by two councillors from the Nabak LLG in Nawaweb district on whether the Government would allow LLGs to collect ward or head tax from villagers.
Naiab said the OLPLLG provided a number of options enabling LLGs to make their own laws and to generate revenue.
However, the LLG created laws should not contradict national and provincial laws, he said.
Councillors Saga Kiongi (ward 12) and McLay Esoke (ward 13) raised the concern when they had not to receive their share of lands and physical infrastructure (LPI) and LLG service grants for wards projects including their allowances since 2015.
Naiab said that council presidents and managers needed to think innovatively and look outside for external sources stipulated by the OLPLLG and encourage ward councillors to do likewise.
“However, managers and presidents are too dependent on traditional funding sources in government grants instead of looking outside for options, he said.
“For LLGs as third tier governments, the OLPLLG provides many options to create business arms, business and head taxes to generate revenue to manage LLG and ward functions.”
Kiongi and Esoke said that they doubted the Governments’ assurance to allocate K10,000 each to various wards in the 89 districts of the country because they had never received their portion of their grants since 2015.