FEBRUARY 9, 2023
Prime Minister Hon. James Marape says the increased funding of K20 million to each of the 96 districts nationwide is not “free money for MPs” and will be strictly monitored by the National Monitoring Authority (NMA).
PM Marape said the Independent Commission Against Corruption (ICAC) would prosecute any leaders who misused funds.
He said this today (Thursday, February 9, 2023) to clear misconceptions about the K20 million District Services Improvement Programme (DSIP) funding to each district.
“This K20 million is not free money for MPs,” PM Marape stressed.
“It is not free money for individual MPs but people’s money through their respective districts and provinces.
“The allocation is based on outcomes we want districts and provinces to achieve in terms of better education, health , infrastructure, law-and-order and economy.
“Out of the K20 million, K10 million is for DSIP, K5 million is for infrastructure development, and the balance of K5 million is based on a kina-for-kina allocation that is consistent with key Government programmes.
“Our Pangu Pati-led National Government is focused on better education, health, infrastructure, law-and-order and our people’s involvement in businesses.
“To ensure that these focus areas have maximum impact, and reach out to as many of our people as possible, we have increased the DSIP so that District Developments Authorities (DDAs) and Provincial Governments have money to carry out their programmes.”
PM Marape said the NMA would strictly ensure that the money was used for its rightful purposes and not diverted elsewhere, while ICAC would prosecute leaders who misused funds.
“To balance and ensure that they money is put to good use, the National Government is setting up the NMA to monitor the work of each DDA, Provincial Government and National Department,” he said.
“Prerequisites such as procurement requirements and delivery benchmarks must be strictly complied with before the money is released.
“It must not be forgotten that my Government set up ICAC and is empowering it with tools in the Proceeds of Crime Act to go down hard on those who siphon off public money meant for development.”
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