According to Department of Implementation and Rural Development (DIRD), districts and provinces throughout the country have squandered millions of Kina on purchasing vehicles and machineries.
This was revealed by the Acting Secretary of DIRD, Aihi Vaki following news articles on “suspects held over alleged district vehicles” at the Walium government stations in the Usino Bundi district, Madang Province.
With no proper records or no record of asset registry of Provincial and District Services Improvement Program (PSIP & DSIP), fleets and equipment are presumed to have been embezzled to serve individual’s own interest.
“These are state assets and must be confiscated locked up in the district yard and let those people stealing be charged and locked up also,” Vaki said.
Many purchases are exceeding number of fleet required in the provinces and districts bought through Provincial and District Services Improvement Program (PSIP & DSIP) funds.
Vaki said once a new incumbent MP is elected to the Parliament, the Provincial Administrators and District Administrators (CEOs) of the newly created District Development Authorities (DDAs) are obligated to provide a list of assets purchased under public funds (PSIP & DSIP); and as well as in the first instance provide a comprehensive DDA performance report to the MP, just as we do here as Departmental Heads for our incoming Ministers.
According to the Public Finance Management (Act) 2014, Administrative Guidelines and Financial Instructions, all public utilities purchased under tax payers must be accounted for and registered.
