Morobe Governor, Luther Wenge, says the Morobe Provincial Government will not be tolerating election claims.
His administration is aware of people claiming payment of services rendered during the campaign period, with most of these claims adding up to over K20,000 per group.
“I have a book of claims,” the Governor stated. “I will go through them one by one to find out what services you’re claiming for and whether it was approved by the tender board.
“All of them, I am going to literally check them"
“And when they are genuine, they are providing services to the government of that time, the government of Kelly Naru, they have lawfully provided, then we are going to settle them.
“Lawfully provided services under the leadership of Ginson Saonu, we are going to settle them.
“Lawfully provided under the leadership of Mr Luther Wenge – the human being who is talking to you now – they will be lawfully settled.
“That is not money for the campaign.”
Governor Wenge stressed that candidates would have met the cost of campaign fees, as he had with his election team. On the other hand, he outlined that events hosted for him in his capacity as the governor would be taken care of.
“Or provided a vehicle to the governor’s team to go to Bulolo for an authorised government meeting, yes, we can pay.
“Or, you are claiming because you’ve built a classroom, and the decision to build a classroom was approved by the Morobe provincial tenders board, and you got some paid, some not paid; yes, we can pay.
“Those kind of claims, yes, we will entertain them.
“But the political claims, you come to Mr Luther Wenge privately. You don’t come and shout at the Morobe Provincial Government.”
Tutumang Haus officials have estimated the claims to be into millions of Kina.