Bougainville's Chief Secretary, Joseph Nobetau, has called on public servants to co-operate with a Papua New Guinea police fraud squad that is now in the autonomous region.
ABG President John Momis (L) with Joseph Nobetau. Photo: ABG
The police team was invited by the Bougainville President John Momis after revelations of a massive fraud involving the autonomous government's payroll, along with the misappropriation of millions of kina of disaster funds.
Mr Nobetau said it was vital the fraud squad had the full co-operation of Bougainville's public servants so their investigations were unhindered.
Earlier this month, Mr Momis said corruption was rampant in the Bougainville government.
A review of the PNG region's autonomy status demonstrated the autonomous government had been chronically underfunded over the life of the 2001 Bougainville Peace Agreement, and what funds had been received were not been managed well, Mr Momis said.