In January 2023 the Ombudsman Commission registered an own initiative investigation from an article published in a local Newspaper. According to the newspaper article, a local contractor engaged to refurbish classrooms for a district primary school had halted the project works due to non-payment of labour costs by the community responsible.
The classrooms refurbishment project was an initiative by the school’s Board of Management (BOM) and Parents & Citizens (P&C) in 2021. The initiative was in preparation for the primary school to be upgraded to a junior high school in 2025.
A contract agreement to deliver the refurbishment works was signed by the BOM and the local contractor. As a party to the agreement, the P&C had the obligation to cover labour costs that were associated with the project.
The local contractor had mobilized to site and commenced refurbishment works; however, the P&C could not complete their term of the agreement. This led the contractor to issue a Stop Work Notice as it could not pay wages for the locals engaged on the project.
In 2023, the Commission, commenced audiences with the local Member of Parliament and the authority of the district concerned to address the matter. Accordingly, the responsible Member of Parliament undertook to commit a support funding of K100, 000.00 to the school to offset the labour cost.
The local contractor was finally convinced to resume and complete the classroom refurbishment works. The Commission persisted with necessary follow-ups of the K100,000.00 funding commitment by the Member of Parliament and the district authority concerned.
By September 2024, the classroom refurbishment project was completed and commissioned.
On 15 November 2024, a ceremony was held to commemorate the completion of the project. A cheque in the amount of K100,000.00 (raised on 14 October 2024), witnessed by teachers and students was presented to the Chairman of the BOM and the primary school head teacher. The Ombudsman Commission was also present during this event.
This intervention by the Commission highlights the crucial role played by the Commission in collaborating with the respective leaders with province and districts in ensuring government service delivery to the citizens of Papua New Guinea hence realising its purpose under Section 218(a) of the Constitution.