Minister unhappy with report about district

PETROLEUM Minister and Member for Sinasina-Yongomugl MP Kerenga Kua has expressed disappointment over a media report this week which he claimed was one-sided.
He said the other daily had not done any clarification on the use of his electorate’s district services improvement programme (DSIP) funds.
“The statement is defamatory and emotionally charged,” Kua said.
“It is unfortunate for Gary Kiage that I won on two occasions against his late brother Rex Kiage.
“It is obvious that Gary is aggrieved and biased and Post Courier should therefore have had the courtesy to contact my office for comments.”
Kua invited the newspaper’s editor to contact his office to be provided with files and copies of reports to the Rural Development office detailing how Sinasina-Yongomugl’s DSIP funds were used.
He said all board meetings on the DSIP funds used had been open to interested stakeholders.
Kua noted the allocation of the annual K10 million DSIP funds under the previous government had been inconsistent affecting service delivery.
Kua said when he had assumed office in 2012, he had prioritised infrastructure (roads and bridges), law and justice, education and health and had launched a five-year development plan in 2013 with the aim to empower his people.
He said over that time his development efforts had been hindered by challenges such as the drought in 2015, compensation disputes, landslides and budget shortfalls to contend with, including a shortage of suitable contractors.
Kua maintained that he had spent K16 million in total on the maintenance of infrastructure.