Forty-eight of Samoa’s 51 districts attended to sign the proposed $1.8 million district development funding agreement, with three absent due to internal disputes, Prime Minister Laaulialemalietoa Leuatea Schmidt said Monday.

The signing ceremony, held at the Ministry of Women, Community and Social Development’s (MWCSD) Tooa Salamasina Hall in Sogi, took up most of the day as district chairpersons and co-chairpersons gathered to formalise the agreement.

Laaulialemalietoa said Faasaleleaga No. 2 and Siumu were among the districts absent, and that their absence was due to internal disagreements regarding the district development program. The district of the Minister of Women, Moefaauouo Julius Tafunai, Anoamaa No. 1, was also absent. 

The signing took place amidst some districts still conducting interviews for their fono faavae offices and have yet to finalise their staff.

Laaulialemalietoa said that 25 districts had not submitted the required reports toward the end of the previous government’s term, raising concerns about the utilisation of district funds under the earlier framework.

The prime minister acknowledged that under the original district development programme arrangement, funds were allocated directly to districts to manage and utilise for their own development priorities. However, he said changes were necessary after claims that some districts had used funds for election bribery.

Under the revised provisions, all funds appropriated and allocated under the District Development Grants Act are to be administered by MWCSD or the District Development Authority (Pulega), with reporting required to Parliament and the public by 10 March 2026.

Attorney General Mauga Precious Chang outlined two key amendments under the Bill to Amend the Law Relating to the District Act – 1 Million Tala Allocation. She said amendments were made to ensure that funds allocated to district council accounts remain the property of the Government of Samoa. She also highlighted provisions allowing the government to cease funding, and said that the money remains government property.

Minister of Finance Mulipola Anarosa Molioo was present at the signing and sat alongside Moefaauouo during the signing ceremony. Many district chairpersons and co-chairpersons attended, including members of parliament from the opposition.