DIRD completes Bilum Digital training in Daru to boost SIP accountability

The Department of Implementation & Rural Development [DIRD] has completed its Bilum Digital Platform training in Daru, Western Province, with district and sector officers now equipped to track DSIP and PSIP funds in real time.

The training, which ended last Friday, shifted reporting from paper to digital for greater speed and transparency.

Deputy Secretary DIRD Gordon Wafimbi said Bilum is the department’s new platform for tracking DSIP and PSIP funds.

“We’re done with paper forms that get lost or delayed. With Bilum, officers can log in on their phone and report right away. That means DIRD and DDAs can see what’s happening now, not months later,” Mr Wafimbi said.

The Daru workshop brought together District Administrators, sector and LLG managers, District Finance Managers with support officers, and electoral officers. All of them now have Bilum accounts and are expected to start reporting immediately.

“The target users of the platform need to attend the training because they’ll be the ones using it daily. We had a good turnout here in Daru, and the right people were in the room,” he said.

Participants learned to enter project data, generate acquittal reports, and track progress on Bilum. A helpdesk will support users facing technical issues.

“The point is to train the people who actually use this every day,” Mr Wafimbi said. “If the officers managing projects are comfortable with Bilum, then reporting improves straight away. No more waiting until the end of the year.”

Delta Fly District Administrator Tony Sinba commended DIRD for the training and stated that the digital platform is simpler and more user-friendly.

Officers also got a Bilum toolkit manuals, guides, and FAQs to help when they face problems.

DIRD says with project photos and updates now going in live, DDAs and the department can make faster calls and keep better track of public money at district level.