The Lae City Council is yet to act upon a requirement of the 2017 audit report to sack over 300 staff as a cost-cutting exercise. According to Lae MP, John Rosso, their salaries amount to over K4 million despite the little input they have in the city council. Rosso says this is just one of many issues that the council needs to look into.
Lae MP John Rosso is calling on the Morobe Provincial Government to assist in fixing issues within the Lae City Council that urgently need looking into, such as the absence of a city manager as well as the non-compliance of the council to sack 300 staff as a cost cutting exercise.
Lae MP, John Rosso, said these issues remain because there is no working relationship between the District and the Provincial Government.
“There’s a lot of thing we can do but the Morobe Provincial Administration, which is the mother of the Lae City Council, is not corporation with me to try to fix all these issues. It is a hindrance and I am now trying to ensure that we use legislative means to try to get rid of this money-sucking misappropriating entity that is just chewing up so much of our funds and not doing anything to keep our city and make it a better place,” said Rosso.
In 2017, Rosso directed an audit of the Council’s accounts to receiving complaints from the public of mismanagement with the city council. The report stated that over 300 people needed to be sacked to save costs. To this date, nothing has been done.
“I have no power to sack them, I have asked the administration to do their jobs and make sure these people get sacked. Officers with the administration are not cooperating with my directions to help me fix the problem,” Rosso said.
The absence of a city manger is also causing problems of its own. Last month, Lae ward six councilor Peter Wagu, said he was among others who are yet to submit their budgets for next year due to the absence of a city manager.
By Sharlyne Eri – EMTV News, Lae
