Qeqqata Municipality’s expenditure on facilities in two cities from 2022 to 2025 is almost the same. But there are far fewer inhabitants in Maniitsoq. The municipal board has abolished financing of construction projects according to the number of inhabitants – after only a few months since its introduction.
In Qeqqata Commune financing of construction projects according to population is abolished. This was decided by the majority in the municipal council in Qeqqata Kommunia, which includes Naleraq, Demokraatit, Atassut and independents, during an extraordinary meeting on Thursday. The freelancer, Gedion Lyberth, was behind the proposal.
The proposal was not approved by the coalition cooperation parties, Siumut and Inuit Ataqatigiit, which were in the minority.
Only valid for a few months
In contrast to the current decision, a decision was made to implement construction assets that align with the number of inhabitants. It happened three months ago, when construction projects had to be financed based on the number of inhabitants in the residences.
– Based on the changes in the conditions in recent months, I hereby propose that you return to the previous practice, so that construction grants are again distributed according to need, Gedion Lyberth wrote in his proposal.
330 million kroner
Sermitsiaq has received construction budgets in Qeqqata Commune from the latest election period, i.e. from 2022 to 2025. Here it appears that a total of DKK 330.2 million, divided into DKK 170.2 for Sisimiut and DKK 160 million for Maniitsoq, has been used for construction projects.
Even so, the population in the two cities is very different. Around half of the inhabitants of Sisimiut live in Maniitsoq during that period. Even so, the costs for construction are only 10 million kroner different.
Maniitsoq had an average of 3,080 inhabitants from 2022 to 2025, while Sisimiut had about 5,500 inhabitants.
Maniitsoq gets more funding
According to the administration’s briefing to the municipal council, part of the already financed construction projects for 2025 to 2027 have been distributed.
In the coming years, 50 percent of the expenses for the already started projects must be used in Maniitsoq, 28 percent in Sisimiut, 17 percent in the settlements and 5 percent for common purposes, writes administration.
