Prime Minister Hon. James Marape last night officially launched the National Monitoring and Coordination Authority (NMCA) at APEC Haus, describing it as a vital reform to ensure that every Kina allocated through the National Budget delivers tangible results for Papua New Guineans across both urban centres and rural communities.
The Prime Minister emphasised that billions of Kina have flowed through successive Governments since Independence – and especially since 2019 – but without the strong and consistent monitoring needed to guarantee that these funds meet their intended purpose.
“From 2019 to 2024 alone, our Government has overseen K131 billion in expenditure. Combined with the previous six years, that’s over K214 billion passing through our National Treasury in just 12 years,” Prime Minister Marape said. “The question we must all ask ourselves is: what have we done with this money? Have we translated it into real, tangible improvements for our people?”
He said the NMCA has been established to fill this long-standing gap – to ensure funds appropriated in the National Budget are implemented according to approved plans, and to track results right down to the project level.
“Budgets must align to plans. Plans must be implemented as approved. Loose ends must be closed so that every Program delivers on expected outcomes,” he stressed. “This is not an optional reform – it is our duty as stewards of the people’s resources to account for every Kina we spend.”
The NMCA will coordinate with key oversight bodies and development partners to monitor the roll-out of Government funds to provinces, districts, and agencies in real time, using modern technology including ICT systems and Artificial Intelligence. Independent audit, engineering, and accounting firms will be engaged to verify progress on the ground, rather than Government agencies marking their own work.
“We are not adding layers of bureaucracy,” PM Marape assured. “We are streamlining oversight, harnessing technology, and making sure every Kina that leaves Waigani is tracked to where it is spent, whether in a remote village school, a rural health post, or a major infrastructure project.”
The Prime Minister said the NMCA’s board – comprising respected institutions such as the National Research Institute (NRI), Transparency International, and the National Economic and Fiscal Commission – will ensure a balanced, independent, and credible oversight of Government spending.
Prime Minister Marape also reflected on the Vision set by the late Grand Chief Sir Michael Somare, reminding leaders that development must benefit all citizens, not just the powerful or wealthy.
“It is not right for a few to have fancy cars while most of our people still walk bush tracks,” he said. “The NMCA is a tool to help us deliver fairness, accountability, and results for everyone – from the remotest village to the heart of our cities.”
With Mr David Wereh, former Secretary for Works and Highways, appointed as NMCA’s inaugural CEO, PM Marape expressed confidence that the Authority will set a new benchmark for transparency and delivery.
He urged all public servants and leaders to lift their performance, embrace accountability, and see the prosperity of the nation as the truest form of personal and collective security.
“The real security for our retirement and our future is not in the money we store away, but in the prosperity of our country. If we build a prosperous nation today, we secure our tomorrow,” the Prime Minister said.
PM Marape concluded with a call to action for the next two decades:
“The NMCA is here to make sure every toea we spend works for the people. Together, let us account for every public fund entrusted to us, deliver with integrity, and leave a legacy of results for our children and grandchildren.”