Government targets public sector reform with new national authority

The National Executive Council has approved the creation of the National Monitoring and Coordination Authority [NMCA], a central body tasked with improving government performance and enforcing accountability across all levels of public service.

Prime Minister James Marape announced the decision this week, describing it as a major step in streamlining government operations and addressing inefficiencies caused by fragmented coordination and oversight.

“For too long, government monitoring and coordination have been scattered across departments with overlapping mandates and inconsistent outcomes. This has led to inefficiency, duplication, and weak implementation. That ends now,” said Prime Minister Marape.

The NMCA will initially be housed within the Department of Prime Minister and NEC, led by a Chief Executive Officer who will report directly to the Prime Minister under the delegated authority of the Chief Secretary. Eventually, the NMCA will operate as an independent statutory authority with its own legal framework.

Former Secretary for Works and Highways David Wereh has been appointed interim CEO. Wereh is known for his leadership in the Connect PNG infrastructure program and has a reputation for managing large-scale public sector reforms.

The NMCA will serve as the government’s lead agency for coordinating, monitoring, and evaluating policy and project implementation across national departments, provinces, districts, and state agencies. It will also consolidate staff currently performing similar functions in various departments.

According to Prime Minister Marape, the authority will engage industry experts and institutions such as the National Research Institute to provide independent verification of government work, focusing on compliance, standards, and value for money.

“We want budgets delivered, and government policy and objectives achieved,” Marape said.
“Public servants at all levels must understand this. Failure to deliver will no longer be tolerated. The era of excuses, inefficiency, and disconnected silos is over.”

The Prime Minister said the authority will enforce ethical responsibility, transparency, and accountability in all government programs. A council will be established to oversee the NMCA’s work, reporting directly to his office. Legal preparations for the authority's formal establishment are underway, with the State Solicitor and First Legislative Counsel drafting appropriate legislation for parliamentary approval.

An interim team is currently being formed from within existing departments to begin groundwork ahead of the authority’s full operational launch.

Marape stressed that poor implementation and lack of coordination have cost the country billions over the years, with little to show for it.

“The NMCA is the structural fix to this dysfunction. From now on, the budget must align with the Medium-Term Development Plan, and the plan must be executed as designed.”

He concluded by stating the NMCA will play a crucial role in restoring public trust and improving service delivery across the nation.