All ward members who have opened their bank accounts have already been paid their allowances by the Department of Inter - Government Relations.
Minister responsible and Deputy Prime Minister Sir Leo Dion revealed this in Parliament this morning.
He said over 6,182 ward members and 300 presidents and their deputies had already been paid.
Sir Leo was responding to East New Britain Governor Ereman Tobaining’s question of the exact number of ward members already paid and those yet to be paid.
"We do not call them councilors anymore they are called ward members.
"So far we have paid all of them a lump sum of over K3,000 after the decision was made, and paid K1,000 later as back payment, this are councilors who have sorted out their accounts with the bank," Sir Leo said.
It is the first time ward members have been paid after the National Executive Council decision of 2014.
But the Minister was unable to state the exact number of ward members who are yet to be paid.
"I will report to Parliament the exact figures of those who have been paid and those still outstanding," Sir Leo said.
"I do not have the database right now."
Sir Leo was interrupted and told to get to the point and stop wasting Question Time.
"The minister is taking all day to answer only one question," a point of order raised by Vanimo -Green MP Belden Namah.
Caption: File picture of Sir Leo Dion.