How PNG MPs Walk Freely with Massive Public Funds—No Questions Asked

How PNG MPs Walk Freely with Massive Public Funds—No Questions Asked

​Commentary by George Lemako
Every year, Papua New Guinean Members of Parliament receive millions in development funds under the guise of improving rural communities. Yet for many citizens, life has hardly changed. The roads are still impassable, health clinics are underfunded, and schools lack basic resources. The problem lies not in the allocation of funds but in how they are managed, or more accurately, mismanaged.

At the heart of this issue is the government’s preference for acquittals over audits. Acquittals, which simply require receipts or expenditure reports, have become a routine task for MPs. These reports are often delayed and seldom scrutinized, meaning public money can be spent on anything—from community handouts to paying bride prices, tribal war funding, hauskrai funding—without facing serious questions.

Audits, by contrast, are rare. They would require an independent evaluation of whether the money was used as intended and what outcomes were achieved. Such oversight is sorely lacking. The government, particularly the Prime Minister, avoids auditing MPs for fear of the political ramifications. If a proper audit was conducted, it could reveal widespread corruption, potentially leading to arrests and the collapse of the ruling coalition.

This political self-preservation has created a dangerous precedent. When leaders fear accountability, corruption thrives. The recent warning by the Ombudsman Commission urging MPs to submit 2024 acquittals by March 31 was a step in the right direction, but without follow-through, it means little. Many MPs ignored the deadline, knowing that the system is too weak to punish them.

Even when MPs finally submit acquittals, like in the case of Kagua-Erave MP Maina Pano handing in years-late reports, there is no penalty. The Department of Implementation and Rural Development continues to accept such reports, prioritizing form over substance. This kind of leniency fosters a culture where rules are made to be broken.

The consequences for the public are dire. While MPs grow wealthier and more powerful, citizens are left with the bare minimum. Public services deteriorate while government officials defend themselves with paperwork that is never verified. The irony is that PNG has structures in place to ensure transparency—but lacks the political will to use them.

Auditing must be made the cornerstone of public finance. Without it, acquittals are nothing more than smoke and mirrors. They allow corruption to hide behind receipts, while real development grinds to a halt. The only way to restore public trust is through mandatory audits, criminal penalties for misuse, and a leadership that is willing to hold its own to account.

If these reforms are not enacted, public money will continue to be wasted, and PNG’s dream of equitable development will remain exactly that—a dream. The time for action is now, and it must begin with placing the audit above the acquittal.

Also read

• PNG COVID Scientist Arrested: Fraud Squad Investigates Medical Research Grant
• ​PNG Steps Up In Israel-Iran Crisis — With A Prayer Request