Transport authority urged to decentralise functions

MOROBE Transport Board chairman Kobby Bomario is appealing to the National Transport Authority (NTA) to decentralise some of its functions to the provincial government to help it earn some internal revenue.
Bomario said reverting all the powers to NTA did not depict the true spirit of the Organic Law on Provincial and Local-Level Government to sustain provincial government functions.
He was concerned about the reversal of several functions – licensing, number plates and traffic fines among others – to NTA from the provincial government.
Bomario urged Governor Ginson Saonu to raise the concern in the Mamose governors’ conference from today in Madang to garner support and table in the next Parliament sitting.
“Where will provincial traffic registry gain its revenue to function in implementing State obligations if the NTA withdraws all the powers?” he asked.
“It is of no use for the provincial transport authority to implement only the regulations for road transport and Small Craft Act while the NTA enjoys the benefits,” Bomario said.
He urged the national government to be considerate in its decisions that would serve the interests of both the national and provincial functions.
Provincial transport registry chief executive officer Joshua Mais said that all concerns would be deliberated in the governors’ conference.
Mais, who was in Madang yesterday, said that Saonu, Bomario and provincial administrator Bart Ipambonj and other Morobe MPs and bureaucrats were attending the meeting.