TIPNG raises concerns on COVID-19 Funds

Transparency International PNG has raised serious concerns on the Government's lack of follow-through on its promise to conduct and table a proper audit of Covid-19 State of Emergency or SOE funding.

TIPNG said the Government has 21 days left to produce and table the Report, as required under Section 8 (3) of the Emergency Act 2020.

TIPNG Chair, Peter Aitsi said its yet to see a financial report which comprehensively captures all the various contributions provided by both the international and domestic community in supplementing government allocations for COVID-19 emergency response operations.

In a statement, Mr. Aitsi said it's clear that the recent internal audit report of the K45.3 million funding is not the comprehensive audit that the government is constitutionally required to produce for the purposes of its reporting to Parliament.

With Parliament sitting this week, TIPNG has called on the Prime Minister, Health Minister, and the National Pandemic Controller to keep their promise to provide a full and proper audit of all SOE finances and expenditure.

Meantime, Prime Minister James Marape had said the COVID-19 funds are all accounted for, and a detailed report will be presented in Parliament once it resumes for its August session.

Parliament is expected to sit at 2pm this afternoon, but it's unclear whether the COVID-19 financial report will be tabled this week.

NBC News/ PNG Today

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