Marape assures equal funding for all districts

Prime Minister James Marape has assured all Members of Parliament that budget funds are being fairly and equally distributed to every district and province during his six years in office.

Mr Marape said the government has treated all provinces equally and that every district continues to receive its share of national funding, including the District Support Improvement Program [DSIP], Infrastructure Component grants, and the Kina-for-Kina Policy grants.

“In 2025, for example, K7 million has been transferred already to Chuave District, and for the last three years, Chuave has picked up over K40 million,” Mr Marape said. “We have not been victimising Simbu, and the Member must stop sensationalizing and running this line which he has been doing the last few years.”

The Prime Minister was responding in Parliament to Member for Chuave, James Nomane, who claimed the Government was selectively funding certain districts while excluding others.

Mr Marape said all funding allocations are done transparently and recorded in the government’s official budget reports.

“Last year, all districts received a minimum of K10 million. We are not a government that hides our disbursement. We are a fair and open government,” he said. “But while some sectors deliver work, others need to be fully transparent.”

He said all government spending is captured in the Final Budget Outcome reports, which are tabled in Parliament each year and published on the Treasury website for public viewing.

“Take a look at all the Final Budget Outcome and see how this government has remitted funds to provinces, districts and sectors. Treasury makes the FBO available on the floor of Parliament every year as required by law,” Mr Marape said.

Mr Marape also called on all MPs and heads of government agencies to show accountability by submitting full financial reports to Parliament on time.