In July 2023, a former ward councillor in a rural district lodged a complaint with the Ombudsman Commission. The complaint is in relation to the alleged prolong delay by a provincial and local government department responsible for settling the final entitlement in the amount of K22,000.00 owed to the former ward councillor.
The former ward councillor claimed that he had served in the rural ward for five (5) years, from 2013 to 2018. In 2019, the former ward councillor contested in the local-level government elections and lost his seat. The former ward councillor further claimed that he has since been waiting for the payment of his final entitlements.
In early 2023, the former ward councillor was informed by the relevant division of the government department concerned that the final entitlement payments for all former councillors were ready to be collected from their office. However, when the former ward councillor went to the office of the government department responsible, he was advised by the officers within the department that his cheque had already been collected by some other person. This prompted the former ward councillor to lay a formal complaint with the Commission.
Accordingly, the Commission pursued the complaint with the relevant provincial and local government department. As a result of the intervention by the Commission, a new cheque was processed and printed for the former ward councillor.
On 17 January 2024, a cheque amount of K22,000.00 was presented to the former ward councillor by the responsible government department. The final entitlement amount of K22,000.00 was successfully deposited in the former ward councillor’s account.
I have complaint through Moresby South Office and Governor Powes Parkop’s Office,I have worked within the Elections Period in 2022 -Givernor.Powes Pakop 52dys worked and for Moresby South 63dys including my Indigenous Traditional Dancing group not payed yet.I have been searching for answer’s lately I’ve come a good friend from ombudsman Commission to assist me further
Thank you for sharing your complaint with us. We understand the frustration of not receiving payment for work performed during the 2022 election period, including the services of your Indigenous Traditional Dancing group.
To proceed, we recommend formally lodging your complaint with us by providing detailed information via email to info@ombudsman.gov.pg, where one of our officers will assist you further. You may also call us at (+675) 308 2600 to discuss the matter directly.