By Meriba Tulo – EMTV News, Port Moresby
By this year, appointments to agriculture commodity boards will be completed.
This is the assurance from Agriculture Minister Benny Allan, when providing an update on the status of appointments to these boards.
Of the 8 commodity boards under the agriculture department, only three have had all its members appointed.
In providing an update on the status of commodity boards, Agriculture Minister Benny Allan again reaffirmed the commitment of the government to commodity boards to ensure leadership within respective agricultural industries.
At present, the commodity boards that oversee the development of various crops, as well as agriculture programs include;
• Coffee Industry Corporation (CIC),
• Kokonas Indastri Koporesen (KIK),
• Fresh Produce Development Agency (FPDA),
• Rubber Board
• Spice Board
• Oil Palm Industry Corporation (OPIC)
• Cocoa Board of PNG (CBPNG), and
• NAQIA
Whilst Board appointments for CIC, KIK and OPIC have been completed, appointments for the others have either been recently approved or will be put forward for approval by the National Executive Council in its next meeting.
With the appointments, the Agriculture Department is hopeful that the boards can also improve on accountability and transparency – something that has been an issue of concern in the past.
In addition to the completion of appointments to these boards, work will then commence on amendments to respective amendments governing the functions of these boards – something which the Agriculture Minister said was needed, given that the legislation for most of these boards had become out-dated.
