By EDDIE OSIFELO
THE 50 members of Parliament are mandated to spend $360,000 of their $1.8 million on water and sanitation projects.
This was the requirement of Peoples Republic of China on its $90 million provided to all the MPs under the Rural Constituency Funds allocation.
Ministry of Rural Development permanent secretary, Allan Daonga related this to members of Public Accounts Committee in Parliament last week.
Daonga said they have also informed Caucus on the expectation in terms of the priorities.
He said the other priorities of PRC’s funding focus on income generating projects and social infrastructures in education and health.
Further to that, Daonga said in terms of water projects, MPs have to pay water tanks and build platforms on existing buildings or new buildings and put taps on them.
He said not merely put water tanks and leave on unexpected people to put gutter, they like complete package.
“When you apply, give costs involved.
“Those are priorities PRC indicates for use of their funds,” he said.
Chairman of PAC, Douglas Ete asked Daonga on any discussion between the Government and PRC on the post 2021 funding after PRC agreed to stop giving cash and replace with projects.
Doanga said he understand in the government level, there were prior discussion taking place.
“And hopefully we meet with PRC soon to flag thinking of government on post 2021,” he added.
Moreover, Ete said he was happy to see PRC funding captured in the budget unlike other donors that provided funding to government.
He said how the budget was drafted was different to previous years where unappropriated funds also appeared on the budget.
Ete said this was same for all other ministries where donors have provided assistance to the government.
