NCDC Act 2021 an example for Lae

THE amendment of the National Capital District Commission Act 2021 has opened the door for Lae City Authority and all our nine Open MPs or a representative to be on the LCA boards from next year onwards.
Lae is the provincial economic centre for Morobe’s nine districts – Menyamya/Aseki, Bulolo-Wau, Huon Gulf, Markham, Nawaeb, Lae, Finschaffen, Tewae-Siassi and Kabwum – but these districts usually miss out on their share of provincial GST tax distributions annually.
These new changes will mean that the 60 per cent GST tax revenue given back by the Internal Revenue Commission (IRC) to the Lae City Authority must be shared with the nine districts and given to our 33 LLGs to improve infrastructure and other services in rural areas.
Whoever the new Morobe governor-elect is must push for an immediate amendment to the Lae City Authority Act to enable this idea to be implemented.
In addition, the Morobe government must fight and push for the province to gain its financial and economic autonomy status in order to strengthen and improve our provincial GST tax collection measures.
I personally believe that one day, Morobe, with an estimated population of one million, can pass a provincial budget of K1 billion and become a provincial government reform model.
All Morobe needs is a strong political and administrative leadership to dream, plan, guide and lead in order to see development changes and take back Morobe for our future generations.

Samson C Napo
Former Bulolo MP