Prime Minister: Kora suspended over allegations

 PRIME Minister Peter O’Neill says National Planning and Monitoring secretary Dr Peter Gallah Kora has been suspended on serious allegations of governance issues.

He denied Kora was suspended on regionalist issues that he was a Chimbu.

“The issues are before him to answer,” O’Neill said when asked about Kora at a press conference yesterday.

“Serious allegations including disbursement of funds from the department without proper process of approval and tendering.

“The Financial Management Act has not been followed.

“Issues of additional benefits that he has received. These are issues that he needs to be given an opportunity to answer to. He has been suspended.

“He has to come out and answer these charges placed on him. There is no need for him to go out there in public trying to defend his position.

“He has to answer to the investigating committee.”

O”Neill said there was also no need for Chimbu leaders and people to make accusations of regionalism because of the suspension of Kora.

“I want to state here that this is not an issue about removing Chimbus,” he said.

“Every public service position in this country is not a position for regions or certain ethnic groupings. It is a position for all Papua New Guinea citizens.

“You don’t have to look too far.

“I’ve been a public service minister for almost four years. In those years, I’ve never appointed a Southern Highlander as a departmental head.”