Concerns raised on social media over alleged misuse of fisheries funds in Madang have been addressed by provincial authorities.
A K1 million funding from the National Fisheries Authority specifically designated for landowners’ mobilization and conducting of the socio-economic survey in the Pacific Marine Industrial Zone project in Madang Province has not been used and is still kept at the Madang Provincial Treasury Office.
The Provincial Fisheries and Marine Resource Division of the Madang Administration has come out to clear the air and brushed aside allegations on the misappropriation of the K1 million NFA funds since it went viral on social media last weekend.
Assistant Director of the Provincial Fisheries and Marine Resources Division in the Madang Provincial Administration, Greg Serar has formally come out to set the record correctly following false and misleading information being circulated on social media.
Serar clarified that the expenditure report which was published on social media is the recurrent expenditure of the Division of Fisheries and Marine Resources and has the consent of the Provincial Administrator as Section 32 Officer, since the division is administering the PMIZ Project and it is not NFA funds.
“As the Assistant Director of the Fisheries and Marine Division I have the visibility of all the recurrent expenditure” he explained.
Serar has set the record straight in stating that a K1 million was allocated by the Madang Provincial Government as a recurrent for the general administration of the PMIZ Project. These funds are correctly managed under 28320001 92227 accounts with the Madang Provincial Treasury.
He further stated that the NFA Funding of K1 million specifically designed for Landowners Mobilization and Conducting Socio-economic survey in the five PMIZ impact communities is still there at Treasury and managed under 28320001 03 227.
“As of this date the NFA funds have not been misused or misappropriated,” Mr. Serar stated.
He also clarified that the NFA representative Mr. Presley Kokweiye, who is a member of the Task Force Team for the PMIZ Project Steering Committee is fully aware that funds are secure and yet to be spent.
He further stated that official verification by NFA and the PMIZ Project Steering Committee on NFA’s K1 million funding has guaranteed that the fund is safe and had not been used. Furthermore, the Task Force Team has engaged an independent auditor to monitor and manage the NFA funds and other grants for the PMIZ project.
Serar clarified that the K1 million counterpart funding from the Madang Provincial Government for the PMIZ awareness and socio-economic survey follows the launching by the Provincial Member and Governor for Madang, Hon. Ramsey Pariwa on December 7, 2025 to ensure legitimate landowners participate in the PMIZ project.
Serar stated strongly that the spreading of false allegation is a serious matter that disrupts a vital national project. It is recommended that an official investigation be launched to identify the individuals responsible for creating and sharing this misinformation.
He further stated that legal action would be taken pursuant to the Cybercrime Code Act 2016 on individuals spreading false and defamatory information online. These alleged can face penalties including fines of up to K25,000 or imprisonment for up to 15 years.
