News | Monday 4th July, 2011 |
Report: K1.2 billion missing, MPs named
By SIMON ERORO
Certain Ministers and senior bureaucrats have been named in a report that forms part of the Department of National Planning and Monitoring Secretary, Joseph Lelang’s affidavit now before the National Court.
The copy of the affidavit obtained by Post-Courier highlights that about 90 per cent or K1.2 billion of the total of K2.1 billion direct PNG Government funding for its development budget has allegedly gone missing in the three months when Mr Lelang was out on suspension. Philemon Was Korowi, from Philemon Korowi Lawyers who is representing Mr Lelang in court, confirmed that the national fraud squad will provide its own report to the court.
In the report, the total 2011 development budget stands at K4.2 billion of which K2.1 billion is direct funding from the National Government while the balance comprises foreign aid monies with almost 75 per cent of these coming from AusAID.
The report, which highlights alleged massive corruption within the department, states that K1.9 billion was the total warrant authorities which was issued by the Department of Treasury of which K735 million in project monies are placed under trust accounts held by the Department of Finance.
The report states that the Department of Finance will be responsible for funding development projects directly and that the remainder of K1.2 billion was released to projects by DNPM over the three months from March – May, 2011. There has been abuse of project screening and planning processes and that officers of the DNPM had been directed and pressured to make sure that they manipulated the appraisals of projects to pass the screening criteria so that they are eligible for funding, the report states.
The report highlights that the investigation established that certain payments were made to companies which were allegedly linked to senior officers at the Department of National Planning. Further checks with the bank records as to the signatories to these company accounts show actual names of the department officers and bank transactions of payments to certain individuals and politicians, the report states.
The copy of the affidavit obtained by Post-Courier highlights that about 90 per cent or K1.2 billion of the total of K2.1 billion direct PNG Government funding for its development budget has allegedly gone missing in the three months when Mr Lelang was out on suspension. Philemon Was Korowi, from Philemon Korowi Lawyers who is representing Mr Lelang in court, confirmed that the national fraud squad will provide its own report to the court.
In the report, the total 2011 development budget stands at K4.2 billion of which K2.1 billion is direct funding from the National Government while the balance comprises foreign aid monies with almost 75 per cent of these coming from AusAID.
The report, which highlights alleged massive corruption within the department, states that K1.9 billion was the total warrant authorities which was issued by the Department of Treasury of which K735 million in project monies are placed under trust accounts held by the Department of Finance.
The report states that the Department of Finance will be responsible for funding development projects directly and that the remainder of K1.2 billion was released to projects by DNPM over the three months from March – May, 2011. There has been abuse of project screening and planning processes and that officers of the DNPM had been directed and pressured to make sure that they manipulated the appraisals of projects to pass the screening criteria so that they are eligible for funding, the report states.
The report highlights that the investigation established that certain payments were made to companies which were allegedly linked to senior officers at the Department of National Planning. Further checks with the bank records as to the signatories to these company accounts show actual names of the department officers and bank transactions of payments to certain individuals and politicians, the report states.
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At it again!
ReplyDeleteYep, one point two BILLION, not million kina and in three months, only three months.What is wrong with people. And the best part is that this was done when Mr Lelang was suspended.So much for everybody trying to keep Mr Lelang out of that office.When will this stop?
Some people will definitely have to be hanged for this. Mr Lelang is giving out the facts, we need right minded people to push from there and bring these culprits to light! People have been named and these people will have to answer for it one way or they other.
Come on Ombudsman Commission, prove to the people of this nation that you can do more, deliver justice!