THE Western Provincial Government (WPG) expects to collect an estimated revenue of $36,733,592 this financial year – 2025/2026.
Finance Minister Ronnie Ghemu announced the expected revenue collection for this financial year when he tabled the province’s $36 million plus budget estimates at the Western Provincial Assembly meeting held on Imagination Island near Gizo on Monday.
Minister Ghemu said the total revenue collection will come from the province’s own revenue sources, including business licenses, rates and other fee charges.
He said revenue generation remains a priority of the Western Provincial Government, which has its efforts focused on increasing provincial income through tourism, fisheries and business investment.
Furthermore, Minister Ghemu said the budget will be partly financed by the Fixed Service Grant from National Government and donor funding.
These include $9,260,356 from United Nations International Children’s Emergency Fund (UNICEF)-World Bank funded Integrated Economic Development and Community Resilience (IEDCR) Project as well as capital revenue grants for 2025 from the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) administered Provincial Government Strengthening Project (PGSP), the UN Capital Development Fund managed Local Adaptive Living Facility (LoCAL) and a carried forward PCDF balance of $14,154,649 from the previous fiscal year.
Minister Ghemu said the draft estimates reflect a strategic approach by the WPG to addressing economic challenges, whilst ensuring sustained service delivery in the province.
He said the government machinery has worked extra hard to ensure early submission and compilation of the budget.
“It is my sincere hope that this Honourable House will pass the appropriation ordinances to enable implementation by 1st April 2025,” Minister Ghemu said.
Mr Ghemu said the 2025/26 Budget is set at a level that only reflects the actual revenue potential of the WPG.
“Under this envelope budget system, the divisions are given their financial resources. The responsibility to plan and cost their divisional activity based on given finance resources.
“The finance resources are distributed based on the divisional capacity revenue expenditure performance, policy priorities regularity functions and other areas of considerations,” he added.
During the budget discussions MPAs raised concerns about funding constraints, particularly in relation to ongoing development projects.
Some MPAs urged greater financial transparency and accountability to ensure that allocated funds are effectively utilised.
By ULUTAH GINA
Solomon Star, Gizo
