LLG elections to go on as planned

Inter-Government Relations Mini-ster Kevin Isifu says next month’s local-level government elections will go ahead as planned.
Isifu was forced to make the clarification in Parliament yesterday to clear confusion created by a Facebook post by a minister.
Finance Minister and Leader of Government Business James Marape had posted on Facebook on Tuesday that the election was being deferred to next year.
Marape’s post went viral and caused much confusion among local level government presidents, councillors and candidates.
Electoral Commissioner Patilias Gamato said he was not aware of any move by the government to defer the election.
“Yes,” Isifu said yesterday when asked if the local level government election would go ahead.
“Elections will go ahead.”
Gamato said yesterday that he was awaiting official confirmation from Cabinet. “I will await what Cabinet says before I make my decision,” he said.
Many LLG presidents and councillors have threatened to boycott the elections because of unpaid allowances going back three years.