Hundreds of millions of kina go missing
27 September 2024
EDDIE TANAGO
| Act Now!
PORT MORESBY - While the Papua New Guinea government has been dramatically increasing the amount of funding pumped directly into each District, there is an appalling lack of transparency about how those public funds are being used.
An analysis by community advocacy group Act Now reveals that just 24 of 96 Districts have lodged financial acquittals for 2022 or 2023 and none of those acquittals are publicly available.
This is despite each District being given K20 million a year in service and infrastructure improvement grants.
“The lack financial acquittals means there is no transparency or accountability in how District Support funds are being used,” said Cathy Tukne, Information Coordinator for Act Now.
“It’s a huge concern as neither the public nor the Department of Finance can see how funds are being spent.
“It is symptomatic of the government’s failure to properly manage public monies, ultimately affecting the delivery of development projects meant to benefit our communities,” she said.
Act Now established the DDA Watch website in 2023 to provide the public with access to greater information about activity of every District Development Authority but has been shocked to find how little data is available.
In July this year, Act Now published analysis showing that only 25% of districts have a Five-Year Plan for 2023-27 and only seven of those plans are publicly available.
Act Now has analysed media reporting to identify which Districts have filed financial acquittals and has found a similar level of non-compliance with statutory requirements.
Breaking the numbers down by region, Act Now found the Highlands region performing the worst in accounting for its spending:
- Highlands: only 7 districts out of 36 have filed acquittals (19%);
- Momase: only 6 districts out of 23 have filed acquittals (26%);
- Southern region: only 6 districts out of 21 have filed acquittals (29%);
- Islands region: only 5 out of 13 have filed acquittals (39%).
Act Now also identified seven provinces where no Districts filed a financial acquittal for 2022 or 2023. These are Hela, Jiwaka, Western Highlands, Southern Highlands, Gulf, Manus and New Ireland.
The map shows the number of financial acquittals by province.
Act Now recommends:
- Leadership Code Enforcement: The Ombudsman Commission (OC) should take action against District CEOs who fail to create plans or submit acquittals.
- Funding Restrictions: The Department of Finance should withhold further DSIP (District Services Improvement Program) and DIP (District Infrastructure Program) funds from districts that have not submitted their acquittals.
- Audit Expansion: The government should fund the expansion of the Auditor-General’s Office (AGO) to enable it to conduct audits for all 96 districts.
These measures aim to promote accountability and ensure that public funds are used effectively and transparently.
Looking at the symptoms and not focusing on the disease.
A great many people these days are asking for a solution to a problem but unprepared to identify what the problem is.
Take for example, the issue of government decisions and spending plans.
Most people will accept that a government is often wastes money without connecting that it’s really their own personal money being misused.
A government does not own anything. It’s only elected to manage taxpayer’s money. Banks don’t own the money they operate with. It belongs to customers.
Neither entity owns anything except perhaps results.
So, who owns a government decision? Everyone who works within a government system of course.
It doesn’t matter whether you understand what the problem is or refuse to recognise the problem.
Bemoaning the decisions most governments make may provide a temporary relief for personal angst. But it clearly doesn’t address the problem.
I don’t know of anyone who doesn’t love to give things away to other people. The very act of giving can provide a warm and fuzzy feeling that you have done something nice for someone else.
It’s no different with politicians. They love the idea of giving things to other people. The problem is that it’s not their money to give away in the first place.
Unless those who are currently angry about government decisions aren’t connecting what the real problem is, how can anyone concentrate on a solution?
Just looking at the symptoms of a disease ain’t gonna provide a remedy. How could it?
Posted by: Paul Oates | 04 October 2024 at 09:17 AM
There's just one word that highlights Eddie's message. That's the word 'should'.
If the word was 'could', then the issue is why isn't immediate action being taken to fix the problem?
The juxtaposition between 'must' and 'will' effectively explains the crux of the issue. Is it the lack of 'will power' or 'won't power' that is actually at work?
Why doesn't Act Now actually dare to say why what 'should' be happening actually happening?
Could it be 'cos everyone already knows the reason?
Bikmaus 'tok sem' igo lo ol husat ino girapim displa wok bilo gavaman na bihain bai lukim ol displa lain 'wok nating' istanap lo ples klia lo ai bilong ol pipol.
Posted by: Paul Oates | 01 October 2024 at 09:13 AM