Over 2, 300 ward members received their first paid salary today. These 2, 319 elected community leaders are from all LLG wards in Hela, Enga, Gulf, West Sepik, Manus, East New Britain, and New Ireland, some are from a few LLG wards in Central, Oro, Jiwaka, West New Britain, and Milne Bay provinces. Minister for Provincial and Local Level Government Affairs (PLLGA), Soroi Eoe said the rest of the ward members will soon be added to the Government’s Ascender Pay System. PNG has a total of 7, 277 ward members. This figure comprises 6, 375 ward councilors (members) and 902 Community Government members of the Autonomous Region of Bougainville (ARoB). This is the government pay 5 period, and it is anticipated that all will be receiving their salaries between pay 6 and 7 – ward members are getting K300 while LLG deputy presidents get K350. Minister Eoe said they will also be backdated from the pay 1 in January 2024, adding that all will receive a daily K50 sitting allowance for any official LLG meetings they attend. Both he and Public Service Minister Joseph Sungi attributed this significant milestone event to ongoing efforts from various government agencies and the government’s commitment to enhance Progress for this groundbreaking initiative followed a National Executive Council (NEC) decision No. 322 of 2021 directed the Department of Personnel Management and the Department of Provincial and Local Level Government to ensure ward members are put on the Ascender Pay Integrated HR Payroll system. The other agencies involved in this exercise as directed by the NEC decision were; National Planning and the Department of Finance and Treasury. Towards the end of 2023, the Department of Personnel Management and Department of Provincial & Local Level Government commenced preparatory work through a framework to transfer 6,375 Ward Councilor positions onto the Ascender Pay. Work commenced with the initial loading of 7 pilot sites which include; Hela, Enga, Gulf, Sandaun, Manus, East New Britain and New Ireland however, 5 more provinces (Central, Oro, Jiwaka, West New Britain and Milne Bay (a few LLG’s) have been loaded onto the Integrated Human Resource Ascender Pay bringing the total number of Ward Councilors to be paid on Pay 5 this week to 2,319. DPM Payroll staff took on this tedious task and have been working late hours during the 2023 Shutdown period to meet the target of putting the ward councilors from the pilot sites on the payroll. Work on completing the rest of the wards is ongoing and is expected to be completed in the next two pay periods - Pay 6 and 7. Ministers Eoe and Sungi emphasized the Marape/Rosso government’s commitment to making sure the country ‘honors hardworking Papua New Guineans right down to the Ward level.” “For their commitment to ensuring services are delivered at the ward level, Ward Councilors will now be on the payroll.” Minister Sungi added that the next step is to add the Ward Recorders to the Government Payroll. "In that way, we will not be waiting for the Census.”