A lack of proper planning at the District level is a critical failure that is undermining the delivery of quality health and education services across Papua New Guinea.

Research by community advocacy organization ACT NOW has revealed that two-years on from the last national election, just one quarter or 25% of Districts have published a five-year development plan for 2023-27. Good planning is essential for the delivery of quality services.

ACT NOW! is excited to announced it’s partnership with Wantok niuspepa. 

The only “Tokpisin” newspaper in the country will be featuring stories based on the District Development Authority Watch or DDA Watch website for the next 6 months. 

The first issue featuring DDA Watch website was published on Thursday the 30th of May 2024. Copies of the Wantok Newspaper are circulated nationwide through the Catholic Church and it’s partners. 

Three recent case studies published by ACT NOW, Ten Years Without A Crop, A New Forest Grab, and Where is the Beef? illustrate how logging companies use false or inflated claims of agriculture planting to obtain Forest Clearing Authorities which are then used as c

Image: Greenpeace

The Forestry Act and other parts of the forestry law framework in Papua New Guinea are insufficient to combat widespread illegal logging and forest crime. 

Therefore, greater emphasis needs to be placed on using criminal law sanctions, both in PNG and internationally, to tackle the illegal destruction of forest resources and the economic, social and environmental harm it causes.

The government must act to stop the ongoing abuse of agricultural clearing permits which are being used as a cover for large-scale selective logging.

Forest Clearing Authorities are being routinely misused to facilitate large-scale illegal and unsustainable logging. They are supposed to be used to authorise the clearing of small discrete areas of forest for agriculture planting but this concession type is now responsible for the largest share of PNG’s log exports, according to government statistics.

The Malaysian owned Giant Kingdom group of companies, which is logging Papua New Guinea’s besieged tropical forests, has failed in an unprecedented bid to silence public comment on the money laundering risks associated with its chequered activities.

The timber industry in Papua New Guinea is beset with corruption, political interference, and widespread illegal practices across the sector, according to a report from the United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime.

EMTV NEWS II 19th April 2024

As a priority area of action, Transparency International Chairman and Community Coalition Against Corruption (CCAC) co-Chair, Mr Peter Aitsi emphasized on the matter of greater accountability of public funds distributed through District Services Improvement Program Funding (DSIP) and Public Procurement. 

Round of applause to the Ombudsman Commission (OC) for taking the step in ensuring Chief Executive Officers (CEOs) of all District Development Authorities (DDAs) are well equipped with the knowledge to manage the District Services Improvement Program (DSIPs) Funding. Not only that, but they have been informed by OC that they are subject to the leadership code just like MPs, government secretaries and those public servants subject to the leadership code. They are required to produce annual returns and most importantly ensure the smooth and transparent expenditure of DDA funds.

Post Courier | February 20th 2024

Last year, the Department of Implementation and rural Development expressed the concern at the lack of transparency in the Provincial and District Service Improvement Program.