The National | February 6th 2024. 

Members of Parliament have been warned to submit acquittals to the Department of Implementation and Rural Development.

Department Secretary Aihi Vaki urged MPs to comply with the law. “MPs need to take responsibility and provide their district and provincial acquittals,” he said.

Vaki said it was routine process which required provincial and district administration to submit the acquittals reports.

“In terms of providing the reports, it is not only for the districts administrator and finance managers to do, but also leaders have to take some responsibility because they are making the decisions related to these funds, he said.

“We expect leaders to come and express themselves and we can also listen to their development issues.

“If you keep outstanding acquittals for a long period of time, you eventually forget what to put together, then you will run around looking for invoices and fiscal reports. Provide the acquittals when it is due and so not wait until it is too late. “

Meanwhile, Morobe Governor Luther Wenge wants to see better accountability of public funds as “there is an outcry on the misuse of government money”.

The money belongs to the people of this country and it is a must all be acquitted, “he said.

“I do not like it when MPs misuse public money to buy vehicles, construct roads or donate to school saying it was sponsored by them.

“That is not your money.

“That is public money for the people.”

Wenge attended the submitting of the provincial government’s administration. Last year’s acquittals would be submitted once completed.

When I took office, I followed three pillars of government: transparency, accountability and an international standard of good governance,” he said.

“I assure that all the money given for the DSIP as well as constitutional grants to the previous government, have been acquitted.”

For more information on DSIP/DDA visit www.ddawatch.org