BY SAMIE WAIKORI
Malaita provincial government has so far dished out about $800,000 ward grants to 33 ward development committees (WDCs) in the province.
The grant is to implement WDC’s annual work plan for the last financial year, 2023-2024, even some WDCs begin implementing projects under their annual plan for this financial year 2024-2025.
Acting Provincial Secretary of Malaita province, who is the province’s Deputy PS Peter Herehura said WDCs are engaged in implementing projects in their wards.
He said MPG will continue to issue ward grants to WDC if they complete implementing funds issued to them on quarterly basis.
Herehura however said that depends on reports of how the previous grant was used as detail of the report will be subjected to monitoring and evaluation.
He said MPG considered ward development grant as a second priority to staff salaries and with that commitment a separate account has created for ward grants.
Herehura said this is to avoid delay of ward grant and other issues faced with issuing of ward grants as experienced in the past years.
He said MPG is committed to ensure flow of ward grants to WDCs with mechanisms in place despite challenges of fund as always experiences.
Herehura said this is to ensure WDCs implement services captured under the work plans for the benefit of rural communities.
Ward development grants made up of 15 percent of the provincial service grant and 85 percent of revenue from the province.
