Tongap: Theft in govt a woe

 By ZACHERY PER

THERE is no tangible development in many provinces and districts to show for the money spent by the government in the past 10 to 15 years, Jiwaka Governor Dr William Tongap says.

“Money has been coming to the provinces and districts for the last how many years but there is nothing to show for it,” he said.

Tongap opened a two-day workshop on provincial, district and local level government services improvement programmes conducted by the Department of Implementation and Office of Rural Development in Goroka on Tuesday.

“My village is some 3km-4km away from the main highlands Highway and yet there is no electricity supply there,” he said.

“The road from Nondugl to Kerowagi was long forgotten. There is no road from Minj to Kup. 

“Services in places like Karimui, West Kambia are non-existent.

“We are the same group of people running this place for the last 10 to 15 years and these are the same groups of people coming to tell us about the same workshop.”

He said he doubted that provincial governments would implement the national government’s plans this year because of various obstacles.

“Are we seriously monitoring and checking? There is so much stealing going on in Papua New Guinea,” he added.

“Some of us in here collude with MPs, Office of Rural Development, National Planning and I got this gut feeling that this country is not delivering. 

“People sitting in positions where the buck stops are not honest,” he said.

Chimbu provincial administrator Joe Kunda told workshop participants that the country needed immediate changes.