MANUS OFFICIALS ENCOURAGED TO COOPERATE FOR DISTRICT DEVELOPMENT AUTHORITY PROGRAM EFFECTIVE ROLL OUT

The visiting government team in Manus Province conducting a two-day awareness meeting on the District Development Authority has encouraged the Manus Provincial Government officials to cooperate for the effective roll out of the DDA program.
Department of Prime Minister & National Executive Council Director-General of Vision 2050, Simon Cholai during the DDA meeting today encouraged the government officials from both the Manus Provincial Government and its Administration to work together for the smooth roll out of the DDA program in the province.
This statement was made following a comment from a participant during the meeting today inquiring about creating another district for Manus Province.
Mr Cholai stressed that the provincial government should consider asking the provincial boundary commission for another district since the province has only one district.
“This issue of having another district in the province has been taken into consideration by relevant government authorities. However, we are here to focus on the DDA roll out, which is the new and improved mechanism of service delivery for the districts.
“As you are fully aware, once the DDA is fully functional, each districts will be receiving K15 million annually from the government. This program is likely to commence by next year and we want Manus district to receive funding like the rest of the districts throughout the country.
“We know for the fact that Manus district is the only district in the province and that is why the government is treating Manus as a special case; however, the government is rolling out this DDA program on Manus Island because it wants the province to also benefit from the funding that it will be dishing out by next year and onwards,” he said.
Mr Cholai again stressed the importance of having all the parties working together to enable the effective roll out of the DDA program.