The Kerowagi District Five-Year Development plan , is devised to provide a clear directional pathway for a programmatic approach to development planning in the District. The Organic Law on Provincial and Local Level Government (section 33 A| requires Districts to have their own development plans. To satisfy the requirement, this Plan is intended to provide a visible logical framework for development activities in the District over the next five years, commencing in the year 2018.
A brief situational analysis of the District shows clear instances of disintegrated development planning and program design, combined with the absence of leadership direction and commitment at the District Authority level in setting a well-defined and articulated development agenda. Hence, existing basic services of health, education, and transport infrastructure have deteriorated over time. This in turn continues to degrade the living standards of the people in the District as the situation remains unchanged.
1.2 District Plan as a Requirement to Pursue National Development Agendas
The National Government after learning from past mistakes of fragmented and disjointed National and sectoral plans has set out a clear development direction for PNG over the next 40-years. To make a start, the Government formulated the Vision 2050, which indicates a clear vision of where PNG wants to be in the next 40 years. The 40-year Vision is for PNG to be a wealthy, happy, and smart nation. Following this, PNG also adopted the Papua New Guinea Development Strategic Plan (PNGDSP) 2010-2030, which translates the National Constitution and the Vision 2050 into a clear direction on how to achieve Vision 2050 in the first 20-years. PNG DSP sets clear targets and strategies for sectoral, provincial, and local
level governments to work towards achieving the desired targets in 20-years.
The Medium-Term Development Plan |MTDP| 2011-2015 is the first of the four 5-year MTDPs under the PNGDSP. It sets out clear five-year deliverables under each of the 8 key enablers and other important sectors with specific targets. In addition, the Government after its formation in Alotau after the 2012 National Elections signed the Alotau Accord I. This clearly outlined 78 priority areas of intervention during its term in office, which were mainstreamed into the first and second MTDPs. The second MTDP 2016-2017 follows on from the first MTDP. The second MTDP is for a two-year period only simply to align
the MTDPs with the five-year Parliamentary cycle. The third MTDP covers 2018-2022.
The rationale for aligning development plans with the political term of office gives an incoming Government the opportunity to write its own plan to underwrite its strategic direction and political support.
The MTDP III 2018-2022 is aligned to the five-year Parliamentary cycle that is in line with the National Government’s Alotau Accord II key priority development reform agendas. It continues to focus on economic growth, infrastructure development, health, education, and law and justice which reflects similar priorities as in the first and second MTDPs. This third MTDP is entitled “Securing our future through inclusive Economic Growth”. At the District level, there is a very clear direction from the National Government in setting the development priorities to contribute to achieving the National targets and goals prescribed in the MTDP III 2018-2022 and Alotau Accord II. That means, the District programs and
activities need to be closely aligned with the KRAs to ensure the National Development Goals and Targets are realized.
This Plan also attempts to integrate and localize sectoral plans such as the National Health Plan 2011-2020, the National Universal Education Plan, and others which are also aligned to PNGDSP for coordination, monitoring, and effective funding. PNGDSP calls for Collaborative Efforts and Coordination’ among various tiers of Government and the Kerowagi District Administration will promote those vital operational principles for the implementation of the District Plan.
Following the launching of the MTDP Ill 2018-2022, the National Government through the Department of National Planning and Monitoring directed all the sectors, provinces, and Districts to align their plans to PNGDSP, particularly MTDP III. Adhering to the Government’s direction, this District Han is aligned to it and the Alotau Accord II Priority Development Agendas for full implementation.
1.3 District Plan is required to Guide Development Funding
Translation of PNGDSP strategies, deliverables of MTDP III and Alotau Accord II to workable and achievable programs on the ground will be the responsibility of the provinces and districts. It is compulsory for districts to formulate plans that visibly show how they will have to come up with bankable programs and projects for funding. The KFYDDP 2018-2022 plainly displays important programs for implementation following the sequencing principles of the PNGDSP.
In order to secure funding, it is necessary for the DistRict to have its Program based 5-year Plan wholly aligned to the MTDP III 2018-2022 and Alotau Accord II as required by the Ministry and the Department of National Planning & Monitoring. There is a very strong commitment by the National Gostmment to execute the PNGDSP and MTDP! II to achieve Vision 2050.
This is evidently demonstrated by increased development budgetary allocations to PNGDSP and MTDP priorities development agendas. Our District Plan is designed to ensure those resources arc directed appropriately to fund the projects and activities under our Programs to deliver development outcomes as envisioned.
1.4 Political Commitment and Continuity is required for Implementation
The KFYDDP 2018-2022 captures the development priorities that are being integrated into comprehensive and implementable action plans/strategies to realize our aspiration of making the Kerowagi District the Economic Hub of the Central Highlands Region. Under each Key Result Area, specific goals are listed in a logical framework with clear deliverable targets.
In reality, all action plans/strategies under each of the major KRA goals may not be implemented in parallel given the limitations of resources and time. The sequencing principle is thus applied where key enabling and impact projects must be implemented prior to others. More importantly, the programmatic approach demands greater political and administrative leadership commitment and continuity in the implementation of this Plan over the entire 5-year period. This is critical to realize the full impact of the programs executed under the District Plan.
This Plan encapsulates our development aspiration to make Kerowagi District the CH EH. To achieve our vision would require both policy and political stability by the elected Member, District Administration, LLG presidents, and ward councilors.
1.5 Five-Year Key Result Areas
Kerowagi District Development Plan 2018-2022 is the first-ever properly articulated Plan covering Key Result Areas |KRAs) of the District since its existence as a District. The Plan is quite different from previously known district plans in PNG as is based on programs. It specifies the programs and projects or activities following a distinct logical framework that shows the programmatic links to the MTDP Ill deliverables and Alotau Accord II priorities. This then intends to make monitoring of outputs to the larger impacts (outcomes) under different sectors much easier for the National Government.
The District Plan identifies five (5) Key Result Areas to focus on in the first 5-years to ‘get the basics up and running on the ground’ to accomplish our vision for real transformational change. These KRAs are:
- Service delivery;
- Economic growth;
- Small to medium enterprise growth;
- Culture and eco-tourism development; and
- Increase development partners, churches and civil society organizations participation.
The District may not have all the necessary financial resources as indicated to execute the Plan wholly. Hence, building stronger partnerships with important stakeholders such as the National Government agencies, Simbu Provincial Government, the Development Partners, and the Faith-based Groups is critical to delivering the anticipated outcomes of the plan. The last section of the Plan outlines the process of administering the Plan, together with reporting for monitoring and evaluation purposes at the Provincial and National levels.