Ward members want govt to clear up allowance issue

EAST New Britain Ward Members Welfare Association (ENBWMWA) wants the provincial government to come out clear on their outstanding allowance from the previous government.
Association president Augustine Alois, on behalf of the 368 ward members, said their outstanding dues were committed by the Department of Provincial and Local Level Government (DPLLG) from 2015-2019 and want the government to act quickly.
Alois said, according to their record from the DPLLG, a total outstanding allowance of almost K2 million was pending.
They wanted the provincial government to intervene.
In response, deputy governor and chairman of the inter-government relations in ENB Cosmas Bauk said the ward members’ overdue allowances was a nationwide issue, affecting other provinces as well.
“We have already submitted a proposed submission to the national government asking for decentralisation of powers down to our province so that we can pay out our ward members here in the province,” he said.
Bauk stated that the submission was sent through after the 2017 national elections and had yet to be responded to by the National Government through the DPLLG.
He said there were irregularities and inconsistent information given on the issue of ward members allowance coming through the Government through the DPLLG.