Alternative Prime Minister Nominee and Member for Finschhafen Rainbo Paita is calling for an independent inquiry by ICAC and the Ombudsman Commission into the Government’s actions to transfer funds outside of the budgetary appropriation approved by the National Parliament. Mr Paita expressed serious concerns regarding the actions of the Prime Minister and the Treasurer following the alleged misappropriation of funds allocated to the people of Gulf Province. "In his statement, Governor Sir Chris Haiveta outlined how a Department of Treasury warrant (warrant 07.02 dated 8 July 2024) approved the release of K60 million to the Enga Provincial Government (EPG) was in direct contravention of the 2024 Appropriations Act." Mr Paita said that of the K60 million to be released, K20 million had in fact been appropriated to the Gulf Provincial Government. “Clearly, the K20 million of the K60 million approved for release to EPG rightly belongs to the people of Gulf Province and K30 million was part of the IDG funds budgeted for the people of Hela and Southern Highlands (PNG LNG)." “I am trying to understand why all of a sudden, EPG is more important than the rest of the country right now that, we have to cut and misapply funds allocated for other provinces to cater for expenditures." "This right after I hear in the previous week a K10 million from the Special Intervention Program (SIP) Funds under Department of National Planning was also paid to EPG – thus a total of K70 Million was paid to EPG." Alternate PM candidate added that the actions of the Prime Minister and the Treasurer amount to gross misappropriation of funds and abuse of the office. “The actions of the Prime Minister and the Treasurer are illegal." "Under law, it is an offence to misappropriate funds approved by Parliament in the National Budget." "To act outside of the law is both wrong and arrogant and reflects flagrant disregard to due legal process." Mr Paita said that this incident warrants a full investigation. Mr Paita further stated: “The Prime Minister has been asking State Agencies to investigate use of Funds in Department of Works, Department of Finance and Department of National Planning so now might be a good time to investigate the Department of Treasury especially how the warrants are being done and under whose instructions they are being done – the Treasurer or the Prime Minister?" “As the good Governor indicated in his statement, immediate action must be taken to stop funds that rightly belong to the people of Gulf Province from being redirected." "As Alternative Prime Minister, I am calling for a full investigation, not just in relation to this specific issue, but the actions of the Treasurer and the Prime Minister more generally to determine if there are other instances of misappropriation.” Meanwhile, via a WhatsApp Message, the Prime Minister stated that ‘there was an incorrect wording’. “Now it begs the question, ministerial warrants as we all know are the end product of a tedious process that starts with the warrant officers and up to the Secretary’s office, then to the Minister’s office through various checks and procedures." “Now are we saying Treasury is being run by incompetent people who cannot spell or by those who do not know PNG geography to send Gulf funds to EPG?" “Also, I’m curious to know, how many ‘incorrect wording’ warrants have been done so far and funds disbursed which we do not know yet.” “I also challenge the Government to release a list of all ministerial warrants that have taken place during the VONC period to ascertain whether the government has been using public funds to maintain its grip on power." Paita concluded by saying that these actions are simply desperate play for power at the expense of appropriated funds by Parliament through its leaders on the floor. “The Prime Minister needs to explain to the people of this country, why funds are being diverted at a time like this.”