The Sumkar district in Madang has submitted its 2020 District Services Improvement Program (DSIP) acquittal reports of K5.3 million to the Department of Implementation & Rural Development (DIRD) yesterday. The report basically specifies how the district integrate their development priorities in line with the national development requirement particularly to implement every project at the district level as per the Medium- Term Development Plan (MTDP) 2018-2022. The K3.74 million was carried forward from the 2019 unspent funds which the reports were submitted together with the K5.0 million received in 2020. While presenting the fiscal reports, local MP Chris Yerr Nangoi stressed that delivering of basic government services to geographically isolated maritime district like Sumkar in Madang province, is arduous as there were delays in transportation of building materials to implement some of their projects on the outer islands. “Much of the DSIP funds were utilized on arranging freight costs including addressing social issues, however the funds were spent on its intended purposes, and that we have implemented many community development projects in which we let the communities take ownership to implement themselves so they become custodians and implementers, at the same time we’re empowering them,” Mr. Nangoi said. He said most of the projects were selected through impact programs categorized in their priority areas of education, health, law & justice, agriculture & economic and infrastructure programs based on their District Development Authority budgets and meeting minutes resolutions. The district has implemented 16 projects under education, 9 projects under health, two projects under law & justice, one under agriculture and economics and 8 projects under infrastructure. MP Nangoi also highlighted some impact projects that would sustain the livelihood of the people are; - Funding for Kinim District Headquarter Building - Rural electrification/power extension program (Mirap- Tokain) - Commodity Price Support Program on Copra - Kapa Masin Factory building project installed with electricity - SME grant assistance to support informal sector - Rural Water Supply Project - Lucas Mills for School Support Programs - Tertiary Students School fee subsidies - Rehabilitation and construction of double classrooms, health centres, ambulances for health centres, police station maintenance and supporting church projects and activities in the district. Acting District Administrator Kuwak Kuagili thanked the departments of Treasury, Finance, Planning & Monitoring and DIRD for the timely release of these development grants to the district for swift implementation of these impact projects. “DSIP is a unique program initiated by the national government, which has been gazetted to be implemented at the district through DDAs as the legitimate body, who has the power and authority to select and approve all project submission and proposals,” he said. Mr. Kuagili said the aim of such program is to sustain and improve the poor infrastructure conditions as well as other needed programs at the district both the institutional level and at the village or community base. “We are happy to work with DIRD as the department is always on forefront to provide technical advise when we face implementation constrains and DIRD is always there to guide and supervise which 90% of our projects were successfully completed,” he added. The district is yet to submit its 2021 DSIP acquittal reports.