Former Prime Minister and Member for Ialiabu Pangia Peter O’Neill slammed the National Government’s Policy of Connect PNG Program stating that this program is a corridor to corrupt practices.
Mr O’Neill calls on the government to stop this program and start building infrastructure to cater for the growing population and create employment.
He made this statement following the 2023 report of perceived levels of public sector corruption where PNG is ranked 133 amongst the 180 countries depicting a failed effort to address corruption in the country.
Ialibu Pangia MP further said the recent presentation of K261 million to the contractors was a support of corrupt practices basically to the Prime Minister’s cronies and this matter will be debated in the coming parliament sitting scheduled for the 13th of this month.
“When you have government running scam like connect PNG, when most of the contractors are either related to Prime Minister or his cronies,” MP O’Neill said.
However, on the 29th of January this year the Minister for Works and Highways Solan Mirisim when presenting a total of K261 million to the 20 contractors remain adamant that this program is not a scam.
“Connect PNG is not a scam, we are up to date. Connect PNG is real and really touching the lives of the ordinary people in the country,” Mirisim said.
Adding to that, Prime Minister James Marape responds to accusations by Peter O’Neill stating that, he has no shareholding in the companies that the contracts were awarded to as claimed.
“I have no shareholding in Ipwenz and other companies, unlike O’Neill, who had his greedy tentacles everywhere,” Prime Minister Marape said.
“I do, however, encourage Papua New Guinea companies in the construction space.
“Moses Palipe, who owns Ipwenz, has long been in the construction business and is not a shady character like Peter O’Neill and his Wild Cat companies that has a record in not delivering projects.
“I do not know where O’Neill got his figures from, and then using them to make serious allegations against contractors, without verification from the Department of Works and Highways.
“Ipwenz, and the companies O’Neill has made serious allegations against, fairly bid for and were awarded the contracts by Department of Works and Highways.”
The Prime Minister further states that Peter O’Neill should take a good look at himself before tainting the reputations of Papua New Guinea contractors.
“He has a far shadier and dishonest reputation of awarding contracts to his own companies during his time as prime minister.
“O’Neill, since I took over from him as prime minister in May 2019, has been using any and every opportunity to discredit my personal integrity,” Prime Minister said.
