LACK OF CONSEQUENCES SEES DEPARTMENTS IGNORING CALLS FOR REPORTING; PM MARAPE

CAPTION: PRIME Minister James Marape.

BY NIGEL MADO

PRIME Minister James Marape has acknowledged weaknesses in the public service accountability system, saying many department heads fail to comply with reporting requirements because there are currently few consequences for doing so.

Marape made the remarks in Parliament while presenting the second reading of the Prime Minister’s Amendment Bill last week.

The Prime Minister said government departments are required to submit annual reports by 31 March each year, but in many cases these deadlines are not met.

He stated that when he puts a pointer, every department head is expected to finish annual reports by 31st of March every year, but due to the fact that they know that currently no one disciplines them, so there is an ignorance.

The PM added that the current legal framework does not give the Chief Secretary the authority to discipline department heads who fail to report to ministers, Cabinet or Parliament.

As a result, he said some government directives remain unimplemented and policies remain in limbo.

The Prime Minister said this lack of enforcement has contributed to a broader culture where compliance with reporting and implementation requirements is inconsistent across government agencies.