Western Provincial Public Accounts Committee (PPAC) has reaffirmed that the Western Province’s pursuit of autonomy and statehood remains a non-negotiable agenda, underscoring the urgent need to establish new “power centres” to strengthen governance and economic growth.
Presenting the committee’s report, PPAC Chairman Hon. Oppunity Kulu said the province must now focus on regaining positive economic momentum by activating strategic institutions that can serve as new checks and balances within the provincial structure.
He highlighted that following a resolution passed by the Western Provincial Assembly during its March Sitting, the State Transition Management Office was unanimously approved to lead the province’s roadmap toward Autonomous Statehood.
“The PPAC strongly emphasizes that this office must be immediately activated,” Hon. Kulu stated.
He described the State Transition Management Office as a progressive “power centre” designed to improve local revenue collection and ensure the fair distribution of public services across communities.
The committee’s report, based on its inquiry into the Revised Draft Estimates for 2025/2026, revealed ongoing fiscal challenges, including “under-collection in the recurrent budget and under-spending in the capital budget” for the 2024/2025 financial year.
Hon. Kulu said these persistent shortfalls underscore the need for fiscal decentralization, where the central government transfers the authority to the provinces to tax and spend according to their own priorities.
“The Assembly has re-adopted the long-standing desire of our people for a system of governance that allows the Provincial Government to make development plans based on its own determined priorities,” he said.
“Hence, our call for fiscal decentralization—where the central government transfers power to the province to raise and manage its own revenue—so that our policies can better reflect local needs and preferences.”
However, Hon. Kulu expressed disappointment that despite its importance, the resolution to facilitate this shift—supported by the current Supplementary Budget—has not been prioritized.
He concluded by reiterating that the province’s vision for statehood and fiscal independence must remain at the centre of Western Province’s development pathway, warning that continued inaction risks undermining the very foundation of local governance and autonomy.
By ULUTAH GINA
Solomon Star, Gizo
