MPs should be based in their districts

VOTERS want to see their MPs based in the provinces and provide the necessary support to their respective district development authority and provincial assembly.
They should be there to administer, meaning to manage and direct the affairs of the districts and electorates.
Their elections promises can be fulfilled if they work with fellow MPs from the province and to keep their feet firmly on the ground in their respective electorates.
One MP who is worth mentioning is Chuave MP Wera Mori who is holding District Development Meetings in the village.
He says maintaining transparency and accountability in managing people’s affairs remain a top priority of Chuave district and Chimbu province.
He was at Yagari village in Elimbari for a DDA meeting on Saturday. There is another DDA meeting at Kaubasis village next month.
It is now work time for the members of parliament who have won their seats in their respective offices.
Districts should promote transparency and accountability to allow the people to have a say in the management of the district development programmes.
Accountability in the workplace is something every manager wants to have.
Accountability has a clear link to higher work performance, but experts indicate that it also results in improved competency and commitment to work, increased employee morale, and work satisfaction.
And that is the challenge to all Members to Parliament to get into the habit of acquitting for public funds.
The Government has disbursed a huge amount of money for the first time to the provinces and districts.
Unfortunately, there is inadequate capacity at the district level to manage these large amounts of public funds allocated to the districts.
And that is the biggest problem on the ground – building the capacity of the districts to implement the public funds allocated to them successfully.
At the end of the day, it is important that all the funds allocated are properly acquitted.
Under the district development authority structure, that responsibility belongs to the district administration to provide those acquittals as it is not the responsibility of the MPs.
If an MP is not around, an administrator should represent him who should be a non-political one because those individuals are supposed to be appointed on merit.
Political office and other positions which require the people’s mandate to occupy can be said to have other priorities outside the day-to-day running of the districts.
Regardless of which side of the house the MP is at, the voters’ focus should now be about the MPs’ accountability and the delivery of goods and services.
So there you go, keep a lookout for your MPs’ acquittal.
Everyone should be taking stock of the developments taking place in terms of social advancement and economic prosperity.
The voters have a right to check with your MPs and the public servants working at your district development authorities and provincial governments.
These are the people responsible for delivering goods and services to you.
If there is mismanagement of funds, then ask your MPs and governors for they are responsible for the DSIP and PSIP grants.
Since funds are being distributed right down to the district level, the accountability process should be strident so auditing can be done at the district level.