Minister for Provincial and Local Level Government Affairs and Member for Kikori has been called upon by the Member for Hiri-Koiari, Keith Iduhu to investigate and provide reports/audit of funds that were allocated distributed towards Special Purpose Authorities [SPA], citing concerns of misuse by those involved particularly those in the Hiri SPA. “In 2023, substantial amounts of money were paid out into the Hiri SPA.” “Can the Minister produce a report of Audit of these funds that have been delivered or distributed to the SPA’s.” “Hiri SPA being one of them and there are many others.” Iduhu mentioned that in the organic law on the Provincial and Local Level Governments reform that was realigned in 1995 and under section 98 & 99 of that law, LLG presidents were given authority to natural resource allocation. The Hiri-Koiari member wasted no time in quizzing the Minister on the purpose of the Special Purpose Authorities, its functions and who they report to and their bearing on development as opposed to the District Development Authorities [DDA]. “Meanwhile we have the DDA’s established and supposedly the development machinery that has been sitting there not utilized.” “Who are more accountable, who are more in the public realm. Who ACTUALLY report!” He raised these concerns following allegations of the Hiri SPA using large sums of money to purchase vehicles instead of being put forward to positive development such as the construction of roads and aid posts. “What is so special about these special purpose authorities?” He further asked if there was a possibility for the review and amendment of Section 98 & 99 Organic Law on the Provincial and Local Level Governments to enable MPs to represent and push the development aspirations of the people they are mandated to serve. In his response, Minister Eoe stated that SPA’s exist to provide services to the people, however there have been no reports being submitted by the SPA’s to the Department or the Office of the Minister with regard to how the allocated amounts of money have been put to use. In agreement with the Member for Hiri-Koari, Eoe stated that so much funds have gone missing. “So much rumors or stories of, so much funds, hundreds of millions of funds have disappeared through the SPA’s.” “Whether they are existing SPA’s, legally established, whether they are endorsed by Landowners or LLG’s.” He added that the purpose of the SPA’s was that as instruments established by the Government, basically to act as middle men between developers and the Government and they act as vehicles by which Landowner benefits are channelled through. Eoe further stated that this has been a major problem, being the differentiation of their purpose as opposed to the DDA’s. In response to the question of the review and amendment of sections 98 and 99, he said he has already directed his legal team to immediately investigate the amendment of both section for members to have a stronger say in the Benefit deriving from the districts they represent.