Naru slams admin for inefficiency

National, Normal
Source:

The National, Wednesday July 17th, 2013

 By CLEMENT KAUPA

MOROBE Governor Kelly Naru slammed his provincial administration yesterday for being slack and inefficient. 

“I have never come across an administration as ineffective, inefficient, inconsistent and as slow as the one we have here,” Naru fumed.

“In fact it is moving slower than a snail’s pace.”

His frustration stems from K30 million in developmental funds sitting in the bank.

“In seven months, I have not moved one single impact project that is budgeted for by the provincial government because of the inefficiency and slackness of the bureaucracy,” he said.

 “It cannot be money because we have money sitting doing nothing in the bank. As I speak, K30 million out of K40 million in developmental funds is yet to be used while impact projects are awaiting funds.”

He said the province did not lack political will but had an ineffective bureaucracy.

“If I have my way, I will sack three quarters of the bureaucracy,” Naru said. 

He said he was willing to apply the axe regardless if it was his chief of staff or tea boy.

“I will speak with the public service minister and the secretary for DPM (Department of Personnel Management) about it.”

“I was crystal clear about this when I assumed office in September 2012 and the axe will now be applied,” Naru said nine months after taking office.

His concern is that with less than four months to the close of public accounts, the K30 million developmental grants will be retrieved by the state.

Naru left for Port Moresby at midday yesterday for the parliament sitting.

Acting provincial administrator Geoving Belong was unavailable for comment as he was in Port Moresby yesterday.