Opposition Leader and Chuave MP James Nomane has praised the decision by newly appointed Minister for Commerce and Industry Wake Goi to suspend Small and Medium Enterprise (SME) funding transactions while calling for a full and independent investigation into allegations involving approximately K200 million in SME funding.
Mr. Goi announced the immediate suspension of most departmental SME funding transactions during his first media conference, saying the move would allow authorities to investigate allegations involving approximately K200 million in SME funding.
In a Facebook statement, Mr. Nomane praised the Minister's swift action, saying it was an important first step towards restoring public confidence.
"We thank Minister Wake Goi for suspending all the SME funding and calling for a full and independent investigation into the alleged SME corruption," Mr. Nomane said.
He also acknowledged Prime Minister James Marape for the recent Cabinet reshuffle and urged the Government to allow investigators to carry out their work independently.
"We thank the Prime Minister for the decision he made on changing the Minister and knowing that police investigations are looking into these fraud allegations, we ask that the Government allow for a full and independent investigation to take place without any interference, fear or favour," he said.
Mr. Nomane said time is a valuable resource and argued that any delay in delivering genuine SME support represents a missed opportunity for Papua New Guineans.
"Yesterday won't come back, and this is why the SME funding was a missed opportunity for the people of Papua New Guinea. If the right people had been appointed based on merit to manage this program, our people could have benefited from the start-up capital and the opportunities that come with economic growth," he said.
The Opposition Leader concluded by encouraging Papua New Guineans to make informed decisions when electing leaders, saying the country's future depends on appointing capable people to positions of responsibility.
"It's our country, so people must properly vote."
The Department of Commerce and Industry has suspended most SME funding transactions while investigations into the allegations continue.
