Marape: Uguro’s funeral next week

PRIME Minister James Marape says the funeral for the late education minister Jimmy Uguro is confirmed for next week, despite a claim that no funds had been allocated for it.
He was responding to a claim by former Madang administrator Frank Lau that no money had been allocated for the funeral.
Marape said the Government had already allocated K5 million for the funeral, adding that Lau was sacked by the National Executive Council (NEC) last month, and therefore was not privy to the funeral arrangement.
“The K5million allocated for the funeral programme has already been released,” Marape said.
“The Madang governor is the head of the provincial executive council and based on their recommendation and in consultation with Public Service Commission and Department of Personnel Management, the NEC as the appointing authority sacked Lau and appointed Daniel Aloi as the acting Madang provincial administrator.
Lau, who still claims to be the provincial administrator, told reporters in Madang this week that that the funeral organising committee was facing a financial crisis
He claimed that with just three days left, he still had no record of the K5million being paid into the government operating account or a trust fund for Uguro’s funeral
Lau was terminated in an NEC decision dated Feb 16. The revocation of his appointment as Madang provincial administrator was gazetted (below ) on Feb 21.