A landowner and businessman from Mendi in Southern Highlands Province is questioning the development of the Seat of Good Governance Building which has not been built despite K16 million paid in 2016 for work to begin.
Local Alex Awesa says five years after the contract was awarded the building has not been built.
Landowner and businessman Alex Awesa is questioning the status of the proposed development of the Three (3) Story Seat of Good Governance Building in Mendi, Southern Highlands Province.
Awesa says the contact for the K16 million project was awarded to Pacific Industrial Resources (PNG) Limited in 2016 but to date there is no structure, let alone any ground work.
The proposed site of the building is directly opposite the Agricu Centre.
“The money to this company called Pacific Industrial Limited, it was a company incorporated in 2015, in 2016 they got paid K9.9 million, another K6 million after only one year of incorporation. K16 million gone, to build the ‘Seat of Good Governance in Mendi Town.
“2016, 2017, 2018, 2019, 2020, five years and there is not a single post there, there is not a container of materials there. There is nothing there. All you will see when you go to Mendi is cow grass. That’s what you get for K16 million,” said Awesa.
Awesa says the project development must be questioned as a huge amount of taxpayers money has been spent on a project which has not even started.
“Me as a Town Landowner, I am totally disgusted, embarrassed and ashamed, by both the contractor and the Provincial Government of the day for allowing it to run that long without somebody putting to account where the money went. Get the company representatives to come and explain to the people. Where is their money? Why is there not a single footing, nor foundation works,” he said.
Awesa says the matter will be raised with the appropriate authorities for investigation.
“I’ve been waiting patiently for whether someone from the provincial administration or the contractor to come and give a response but to date, nothing has transpired. As we speak now there’s a concern, because the evidence is out there on the open public space. There is now a concerned citizen from Southern Highlands who will raise an official complaint to the police fraud squad and the police hierarchy in Port Moresby so that is the next stage.”
TV Wan News contacted Provincial Administrator Joseph Cajetan last week but a request for comments on the matter has not been returned.
The National Procurement Commission has also acknowledged a request from TV Wan for comments.
Picture credit: Alex Awesa