Minister denies release of K9m to foreigner

FINANCE Minister James Marape yesterday denied that K9 million was released to a foreigner without the government tender process followed to build the Kerema District Office complex in the Gulf province.
Marape said that he would summon his Finance Secretary Dr Ken Ngangan to conduct investigations into the matter.
He said that after investigations were conducted, a report would be presented to the police for possible prosecution.
Kikori MP Mark Maipakai had raise concern that the foreigner, who owned a tucker-box store in Kerema, was given the money to build the complex without following the tender process.
He also claimed that the foreigner was not a professional builder.
“We now have an incomplete building and I was told that only K3 million was spent and all the money has been wasted,” Maipakai said.
He said that in the tender process, funds would be released in stages.
“But for this project, K9 million was fully released without the completion reports of each stage,” he said.
“I want Minister Marape to investigate the Gulf provincial administration for allegedly not following procedures to get the K9 million.”