CENTRAL Governor Robert Agarobe has welcomed the decision by the Internal Revenue Commissioner General Sam Koim to split the National Capital District’s 60 percent Goods and Services Tax revenue.
Governor Agarobe in a media conference held today commended Mr Koim on the decision to directly pay Central Province its 10% GST component calling it ‘long overdue.’
He extended his gratitude to the Marape-Basil government on their timely intervention to this ongoing issue which has affected and neglected the people of Central to gain what’s rightfully theirs.
Agarobe described the ill action of NCDC and especially Governor Powes Parkop as a ‘political stunt’ based on Parkop’s ambitions to gain more without paying what’s due to Central Province.
He further stated that institutions such as NCD that has been setup and elevated has been given too much power to one person and he thinks that he is a semi-god.
Despite, NCDC City Hall insisting to take this matter to court to stay the decision of IRC and Mr Koim, Governor Agarobe wasted no time calling on the NCD Governor to release the 10% GST portion owed to the people of Central province before the end of this week.
“I expect the money to hit our accounts this afternoon,” Agarobe said.
Agarobe said since he took office this was one of the agendas he has been driving under his leadership and it is not a new issue.
It has been revealed by Governor Agarobe that this was discovered upon a total audit of all Central province assets carried out by his administration.
NCDC failed to pay what’s owed to Central province for over two decades.
“This has been happening for the past 20 years. When I got into office, we know exactly what we want to do and that was to develop our province economy.
“We are on an economic drive here and we are also on a ‘treasure hunt’ to see what is directly owed to Central province needs to come back to Central province. We did a total audit only to find out that we lost a lot of our assets. Land that we owned were sold, some we still own today but most of our assets were sold. One thing we came across is the 10% GST component that NCDC owed us and this is one of the assets that we have, which is our outstanding GST,” he said.
Agarobe said the amended NCDC Act (2001) clearly stated that NCD must pay direct to Central province the 10% GST component that hasn’t been happening.
“We are interested in the 10% GST. We are not interested in the NCD politics. We only go to NCD because the 10% is paid to NCD and not to us, what NCD should do was to pay us our dues but that hasn’t been the case,” he said.
He called on all Papua New Guineans and the people of NCD to understand the stand Central province is taking.
“When we talk about the 10% GST, this is not only for the people of Central province. The rent payers in Port Moresby must understand that every weekend you drive out to Central province and you do nothing but complain on the lack of infrastructure that’s in the province. Well how do you expect us to build this infrastructure when you don’t give us what’s rightfully belong to us,” Agarobe said.
Governor Agarobe imply that the 10 % if only given to the people of Central province that can then develop the existing infrastructure and government services that is lacking in the province.
