Mayor: Budget declaration improper

THE Morobe provincial administration has jumped the gun in announcing the break-up of the 2012 provincial budget before it has been approved by the Tutumang (provincial assembly) and the provincial executive committee.
Finschhafen mayor Laina Manaseh said this yesterday in response to a media statement by deputy provincial administrator district services Patilias Gamato in which he gave a breakdown of the K310 million Morobe will receive.
He described the allocations as unfair because only Lae, Wau/Bulolo and Morobe districts were the main beneficiaries while Finschhafen, Siassi and Kabwum were again overlooked.
He said the budget should have gone through political scrutiny and endorsement and should have been announced by Morobe Governor Luther Wenge who is chairman of finance.
“The governor should call an urgent provincial executive council meeting to look at this administrative budget and collate views from all LLG presidents before it is passed,” he said.
Manaseh said it was expected Morobe would receive the most money as it was bigger and had more people than most other provinces.
The total budget consists of K180 million for special projects and K130 from the provincial recurrent budget.