Western villagers form council to monitor funding

 A COMMUNITY watch group to has been formed in the four local level governments in South Fly District, Western, to monitor the use of development grants. 

The Dakom Watch Council is made up of members from the four local level governments – Daru Urban, Kiwai, Morehead and Oriomo.

The group was a direct outcome of the Consultative Implementation and Monitoring Council budget tracking initiative workshop held on Daru Island. 

It was to educate LLG and community leaders to understand basic elements of the structures, systems and processes of how development grants are made available, used and reported on.

The workshop discussed the formation of ward development committees, their composition, number of administrative staff required for each 

LLG, their functions and roles in respective LLG wards.

Speaking on behalf of churches and women at the workshop, Rev Anna Bisai of the United Church told CIMC facilitator Elizabeth Avaisa that the information shared “is very important for us to see where we have gone wrong and help us to understand what we have to do to help our own communities”.

Participant Rodney Nega said ward development committees were often made up of political cronies.

Ward councillors and LLG presidents at the workshop were told that a major task for ward development committees was to identify needs of the community, formulate ward plans and budget for them.