Mutzing Station, Markham District, Morobe, March 29, 2024 – Prime Minister and Treasurer Hon. James Marape stated that districts have received more funding than ever before since the Pangu Pati-led government came into office in 2019. This funding is sourced from the District Services Improvement Programme (DSIP), District Support Grant (DSG), Public Improvement Programme (PIP), and Infrastructure Development Grant (IDG).
He made these remarks at Mutzing Station in Markham District, Morobe, on Friday, March 29, 2024, during the opening of the Markham District Administration complex and launching of the Markham District Development Plan 2023-2027.
“Over the four years from 2019 to 2022, the Pangu-led government has given to you in the Markham District, as can be seen in the plan, K60.155 million,” Prime Minister Marape said.
“This includes K13.293 million in 2019, K16.391 million in 2020, K19.982 million in 2021, and K10,487 million in 2022. In 2017, Markham District received a mere K1.035 million in total funding from the O’Neill government, followed by K9.792 million in 2018.
“The K60 million under the Pangu government has left Waigani, the Morobe Tutumang (provincial assembly), and has come to your district treasury in Markham.
“And not only Markham, all districts in the country have receiving similar funding.
“If I add up all the monies we have given out since 2019, it adds to more than K5.4 billion given out to all districts in our country.”
Prime Minister Marape added: “Don’t ask James Marape, or Deputy Prime Minister Hon. John Rosso, if a community aid post is not working somewhere, ask your Member of Parliament.
“The first question you should ask him is: Has the Finance Minister given us any money from Waigani?
“If he says there has been no money coming from Waigani, you can ask us how much we have given, because we have all the records.
“Markham is transparent and has put out all the records.
“I am following the trail of the K60 million because it reflects on the Marape-Rosso government.”
Prime Minister Marape said the figures spoke for themselves about the commitment of the Pangu government to districts since 2019.
“This is why this magnificent new Markham District Administration complex, similar to what you can find overseas, is standing here today,” he said.
“This is why you see projects happening in remote places like Obura-Wonenara, Menyamya, Finschhafen, Tewai-Siassi, and all corners of the country.
“This is because, over the last four years, we are giving out more money than ever before to all districts.”
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