Undialu: IDG funds is for infrastructure

Infrastructure development grants are funds and grants from the National Government for the host provincial government to manage, says Hela Governor Philip Undialu.
He said as per the umbrella benefit sharing agreement (UBSA), National Executive Council decision and latest court direction, IDG funds were not to fund service providers but for infrastructural development in the province.
Undialu said this in response to concerns raised by landowners of the Juha PDL 9 gas project in the Hela.
They claimed that their payment of K11 million of IDG for Juha project had been used for other purposes. Landowner leaders from Juha PDL 9 led by general-secretary Peter Andama claim the IDGs were purposely for infrastructure in impacted project areas.
Andama and his landowners want the Hela government to verify landowner companies that were identified by National Planning and facilitate payment to carry infrastructure developments.
He said K11 million IDGs of 2014 paid to the Hela government last month should not be used for other purposes.
Andama said according to the 2009 UBSA, each of the PDL areas were entitled to a component of the IDGs. He said K22 million had so far been paid to the Hela government for the years 2012 and 2018 respectively but landowners had not received any of the funds.