Probe into misuse claims

 By MOUA OMOA

NORTHERN Governor Gary Juffa says the Northern Province Restoration Authority is being reviewed following allegations of misuse of funds.

He said the review was being conducted in consultation with Deputy Prime Minister Leo Dion as Minister responsible for Provincial and Local Level Government Affairs and Prime Minster Peter O’Neill.

“Any instances of misuse of funds will be investigated,” he said.

Juffa said they had impounded two vehicles allegedly sold by the chairman which were now held at the Popondetta police station. 

Three other vehicles were allegedly bought under funds intended for the education rehabilitation programme in 2011.

“These are state properties and belong to the Oro Provincial Government. We are making quiet inroads into identifying all these assets purchased and will track them down and seize them and those responsible will face the law,” Juffa said. 

Investigations will also be carried on the clearance of more than 20 containers of building materials for 34 classrooms and 19 teachers’ houses in the province.

“While the rest of the country is implementing, I am determined to rehabilitate first. I am left with a substantial mess which I must clean up first,” Juffa said.

He said district services improvement programme (DSIP) funding for the province had not been spent yet because there was a need to overhaul the process of tendering and monitoring which had become a very exhausting process.