Morobe LLG and by-election preps start on credit basis as funding delayed

Morobe is the biggest province in the country with 10 districts to be covered, in the Local Level Government Elections with a By-election also to be carried out for the Kabwum district as of this Thursday.

The mountainous terrains especially of the Tewai-Siassi district located in the Sarawaget range with the only plane that passes through having crashed last year, will now be a tough stint for the Provincial Electoral Office to access, not because it cannot, but because it is still awaiting funds for proper arrangements to get around such critical on the ground situations.

The written of writs and nominations for Morobe for both the LLG and the By-election will open on Thursday the 24th of April [tomorrow].

Morobe elections manager Simon Soheke told NBC News the Morobe Provincial Government has stepped in to assist his office with a K1 million commitment, but the time for paper work for that money to be made readily available will also go past April 24.

Soheke said they started training of Returning Officers [ROs] and Assistant Returning Officers [AROs] yestetday on credit basis due to the funding delay.

He however pointed out, that he may now be stuck on having them deployed to their areas of responsibility by today to have preparations on the ground ready for the nominations to be open tomorrow.

“We will raise claims so payments from the first K500, 000 from the Morobe Provincial Administration’s K1m commitment will be made to the service providers whose services we’ve rendered while waiting for the actual funds,” he said.

The Elections Manager said, from the first Provincial Elections Advisory Committee [PEAC] meeting, the Provincial Disaster and Emergency’s office and the Lae Police Bosses, have agreed to use their boats, to assist his officers to access districts like Tewai Siassi by sea, but his office will still have to provide fuel.

“All my ROs and AROs are in tune, set and on standby with preparations. We just need that financial backing to get things moving and I can say without fear or favor that the onus is now with the National Government to come clear.”

“What I know is that from the meeting between the Prime Minister James Marape and the Department of Provincial and Local Level Governments with the Provincial Administrators also present in Port Moresby, the Finance Secretary has assured that he will release the money and while we are still waiting for that, the Morobe Provincial Administration has stepped in,” Soheke said.

Mr Soheke also took the time to appeal to candidates running to be LLG Presidents, to wait until his office formally announce that nominations are officially open this Thursday, before making their K200 nomination payments to register.

“I say this because payments made are non-refundable, however there is a process you can follow to get your refund but that may take years before it gets cleared."

"That is why please wait until Thursday when the ROs and AROs are on the ground, then you can register at your respective chambers by presenting the stamped bank deposit slips,” he said.

NBC News is aware that Mr Soheke was also appointed as the Returning officer for the Autonomous Bougainville Government [ABG], so he will be conducting 3 elections concurrently within this time.