BY MIRIAM ZARRIGA

THE National Government has signed a $US 1 million grant agreement with the Asian Development Bank in Parliament yesterday.

The signing will see the grant used to assist priority relief and recovery activities in the earthquake affected provinces.

The agreement was signed by ADB’s country director David Hill and Deputy Prime Minister Charles Abel.

Mr Abel thanked ADB and said the onus was on the Government to rebuild quickly and grateful to partners who have assisted in cash and kind with the earthquake relief efforts.

“The Government appreciates the ADB grant, which will assist our relief and restoration efforts,” said Mr Abel.

“Rehabilitation costs for water, roads, electricity, schools, and other sectors are likely to be significant.”

He said the grant had no conditions attached and would be spent on relevant expenditure and accepted the grant on behalf of the people of PNG.

“The money would be passed on to the Disaster Restoration Authority who will make the decision as per the controller,” he said.

The grant will come from ADB’s Asia Pacific Disaster Response Fund, a special fund designed to provide incremental grant resources to ADB developing member countries impacted by a major natural disaster and will help the estimated 554,000 people affected in five provinces,” Mr Hill said.

“The earthquake and aftershocks caused widespread destruction and loss of life.”

Mr Hill said the emergency relief assistance will help restore livelihoods and ADB stands ready to provide further assistance for the stricken provinces to rebuild.

“The fund will support in delivering grants within the Asia and Pacific region to assist in relief efforts, it comes to support the water, food, sanitation, personal hygiene, landslide and debris clearance, we have supported in Nepal and Fiji,” he said.