Transparency International Papua New Guinea (TIPNG) is calling on the Government to make a report on the Manumanu scandal available for public scrutiny.
This report cost taxpayers K2 million. Media outlets have not been given access to the full report into the payment of K46m made to a dubious business entity for land allegedly valued at only K10,000 in Central Province.
“The Administrative Inquiry was tabled on the floor of Parliament last Friday (13/04/18), and this week the formerly suspended Lands Secretary and the head of the MVIL have gone to the courts to be reinstated to their positions on the basis of this completed Inquiry,” said Lawrence Stephens, Chairman of TIPNG.
“This is in addition to Ministers William Duma and Fabian Pok who were also sidelined and subsequently reinstated by the Prime Minister after the 2017 National Elections and before the Manumanu Inquiry report had been completed.”
Since its tabling in Parliament, TIPNG has attempted to obtain the Manumanu Administrative Inquiry Report from the Government Printing Office and been informed that the full report has not been released by the Chief Secretary’s Office as custodians of Commissions of Inquiry.
TIPNG is calling on the Chief Secretary and the Department of PM & NEC to release the full report on their public website as a first step to making it available.
“Now that the report has been tabled in Parliament, the people of Central Province, the general public and media outlets must have access to the findings of the Manumanu Administrative Inquiry and we must reflect on whether it meets its original Terms of Reference,” said Stephens.
“For the Manumanu Inquiry to be complete it must include documents pertaining to the valuation and sale of the land as well as the NEC decision resulting in the K46m purchase with funds from the implicated agencies and leaders.
“If the report is deficient in any of these aspects it is difficult to see how it exonerates either of the two Ministers or eight Heads of Departments.”
(File picture of Ministers Duma and Pok after they stepped aside from their ministerial responsibilities pending the conclusion and outcomes of a Commission of Inquiry, which was then downgraded to an administrative inquiry)