Prime Minister (PM) James Marape has fired back at the Opposition on claims that the government is withholding funds to districts and provinces represented by Members of Parliament who are in the Opposition, calling it a lie and stating that funds have been fairly distributed. Prime Minister Marape in a statement said that he will prove this once the Finance Department makes available printout of the funding, which he would have it published for public scrutiny the distribution in service development funds of District Services Improvement Program (DSIP) and Provincial Services Improvement Program (PSIP). Marape, in turn, criticised Members of the Opposition who have taken to the media to spread this misinformation for the sake of political mileage, adding that these MPs were covering up their lack of service-delivery in their own districts and provinces under the guise of their public outcries. He also reiterated that his government has no intention of making Opposition MPs suffer and that every MP is treated fairly when it comes to development funds. “This government does not weaponize the budget to discriminate against Members of Parliament,” said the PM. “This Pangu-led Government knows our responsibility to the country. Since 2019, our budget use is clear evidence of how we distribute funding. “All districts and provinces, whether they are in the Opposition or Government, receive their DSIP and PSIP. We support all provinces in their functional grant and monies for all Provincial Health Authorities." “We allocate fairly to all. When cash flow is available, we remit the funds that we collect.” PM Marape said Members in the Opposition take to social media to sensationalize government matters to get out political mileage yet have no courtesy to acknowledge Government when they receive these funds. “Once these funds are delayed slightly, they go mouthing off to rally public sympathy, but hardly will you see them acknowledge Government for the granting of these monies for their districts and provinces,” he said. The Prime Minister said, since 2019, a large amount of funding has been transferred from Waigani under his administration to provinces and districts, yet local MPs and provincial governors are not held accountable for non-delivery of services in their districts and provinces.