At a consultative meeting the DDA's technical working group sought the views of provincial and district administrators as well as council presidents and gave feedback to the national government.

The group also created awareness and assisted the provinces to prepare and plan for the DDA's implementation.

East New Britain governor Ereman ToBaining said he was honoured to be the host of the authority's inaugural meeting.

"My province stands ready to take on this new law and effectively implement it," he said.

Director for Public Sector Reform Philip Leo said the meeting at Kokopo was part of a nationwide consultation process that would decentralise service delivery financing, decision making and spending to local districts to benefit future generations.

"DDA is about getting structures at the district level right before we can decentralise powers and implement other short, medium and long term strategies like the five-year development, medium term development plans and the PNG Vision 2050," he said

"We must know that this authority is not for us now, it's for our kids - our future generation, to benefit from.

"Positively changing our mindsets now will really help us improve our future generations and living standards."

The working group is scheduled to visit Lae from March 1-4, before travelling to Mendi Town from March 5-7, Mt Hagen from March 18-22 and Vanimo from March 25-27. The tour will conclude in Port Moresby.

The DDA was passed into law by PNG's Parliament in February last year. It aims to decentralise developmental funding and reinvest it at a district and local level across the country. It is hoped the money will be used to subsidise activities such as health patrols and for learning materials in schools.