Central Provincial Government signs MOU

By ANGELA VAVAR

THE Central Provincial Government has signed a Memorandum Of Agreement (MOU) with the National
Volunteer Services (NVS) yesterday to have at least one volunteer stationed in all 288 wards and deliver
technical and other primary services.
The MOA will see that 60 percent partnership and development plans comes under the Central
provincial government and 40 percent to NVS. This is in terms of capacity, administration,
resource development, community engagement and placement and funding.
Central Governor Rufina Peter said “Our intent is to have one person placed in each of the 16
LLGs in the province and to focus primarily on enhancing economic activity by the services they
will provide under the NVS.
“We have been deliberate both in administration and provincial government through our
provincial executive council and provincial assembly, in resetting the pillars for economic
development for central and going forward.
“the central province chamber of commerce was the first to be set up, and we have also
established the business arm, with a primary focus at investments to increase internal revenue.
“we have aligned most of our aspirations with the governments Medium Term Development
Plan, where we have emphasized on partnerships as a way forward, so we have signed other
Memorandum of Agreement’s with most of the national agencies of the agriculture departments.
“so it’s important for us that NVS has come on board because you fill a certain gap where the
administration comes and stops and where these include partnerships in terms of agriculture
workers come and NVS picks up from there and connects the people,” she said.
She said the provincial government is institutionalizing the rural service delivery project which
uses community driven development approach towards planning for development projects.
Central province focused on economic development for its five districts that accommodate 16
LLG’s and 288 wards at a total population of over 400,000. It was emphasized the need to have
one skilled volunteer placed in each ward to complement its plan to provide skilled labor in line
the priority economic activity in the area as well as providing much needed services in terms of
aquaculture, agriculture, education and health.
This is the first time for the central provincial government to have such an agreement with NVS
but a second in the country, after the Morobe provincial government.
NVS Acting Executive Director Jerry David said “the primary mandate of NVS is to promote,
encourage and instill the principles and values of volunteerism among skilled and professional
Papua New Guineans.

“It’s a cross sectoral organization were we partner with all government agencies and departments
and other partners to use skilled volunteers and have them deployed to rural areas and provide
the much needed services they lack.
“Initially it was designed for ex-service men of the defense, police and Correctional Services
who had the technical skills to be able to provide that voluntarily service to the rural or
underprivileged communities who lack the basic services, but this has now changed.
“We have 15 volunteers already sent out into the province under the previous arrangement, and
they are stationed at Kupari, Kupiano, fisherman island, to name a few, in aquaculture,
agriculture, education and health services,” he said.