ESP UPDATE: Contract signing, disbursements of funds on-going

Signing of letter of offers and contracts with local farmers who are among of the recipients of the Government’s Economic Stimulus Package and its committee is currently ongoing.

This is expected to continue throughout this week and the next until all approval process is complete.

As part of requirement, those who have already signed their contracts will produce an invoice of their revised work plan and to be followed by disbursements of funds.  The ESP committee confirmed that majority of the funds will be paid directly to the suppliers of materials and equipment’s.

Furthermore, the ESP Committee is currently finalising approvals for the remaining applications towards projects under Cocoa, Copra, Kava, and other projects under Fisheries, Tourism and Forestry sector.

The ESP Committee confirms that another additional approvals for applications under Piggery from other Provinces are also on progress and will be released in due course.

Other approvals for milling, furniture, crops and vegetable farming are also expected to be completed.

The ESP Committee also reiterates that all applications go through a vigorous and strict screening and selection process to ensure compliance of applications with eligibility criteria. A list of information relating to the applications will be published via a database following the launching next month of a software platform. In the meantime, all approved recipients will be directly contacted through the contacts provided in their application.

The ESP Committee is expected to approve almost a thousand applications this week and is also expected to complete the implementation of the ESP program by the end of November.

The Government through the ESP Committee is fully committed to the accountable implementation of the ESP in the interest of wellbeing of the people, national stability and economic empowerment.

• OPMC Media