Photo: Deputy PM Hon John Rosso
The Government plans on implementing a affordable land and housing program in the market to alleviate housing issues for middle and low income earners in the country's urban areas. This was stated by Deputy Prime Minister Hon John Rosso in light of questions raised by the media in relation to the recent evictions on settlers who have settled on government and privately owned land in most parts of urban areas around Papua New Guinea.
He said the Government has inherited a legacy issue on the issue of unplanned and illegal settlements in and around the vicinity and boundaries of urban areas in many parts of PNG. Mr. Rosso who is also the Lands, Physical Planning and Urbanisation Minister said the issue of people living in settlements and illegal settlements is a critical issue that needs a comprehensive approach. These settlements also have a lot of working-class people and taxpayers who are living there.
“I have been brought up in a settlement myself and I do feel for those people being evicted from the settlements. However, you cannot just settle on land that someone else owns,” Rosso said.
“Most of those recent evictions are based on court orders from the National and Supreme courts by people who have the legal titles. These titles were issued before my tenure as Lands Minister, sometime in 2011.
“That is something beyond the National Government’s control as the title holders have the legal authority and right to remove or evict the settlers from their land for development purposes.
“And to be direct, some of those evictions started as far back as 2011 and were delayed due to court battles.”
Deputy Prime Minister Rosso said that most people who go looking for opportunities and in search of better lives go and settle in this land by dealing with landowners and pay a minimal fee as there is no house and rooms for rent or are too expensive for our average wage earner.
He said previous governments have not built any new suburbs like the ones established in Port Moresby especially in many parts of other provinces and urban areas and towns such as Lae, Mt Hagen, Madang and Wewak. However, he said the National Government plans to address some of those legacy issues by introducing a house and land package in the market starting next year, 2023.
“The National Government and I as Lands Minister, we have started with the Tuhava House and Land package with the landowners of the Motu-Koitabu and their development partner people to build up to 4000 houses costing 300-400 thousand kina on the market so middle income earners can purchase and own. This will put 400 houses on the market.
“The program is at no cost to the government and we have not put in any single toea,” he said.
In the Tuhava case, the landowners have formed their company and will have shares in the program and get their land subdivided and portioned so that the land remains with them through their landowner company.
The Lands Department will help with the necessary support to the program including Policy and Planning of the land in close collaboration and consultation with the landowners who have allowed their land to be piloted.
Mr Rosso also said some of the houses on the markets are more than 500-600 thousand kina and that is very expensive for our middle-income earners, he said.
Deputy Prime Minister Rosso said the Government will and is looking at acquiring more land as there is a shortage of State land in many parts of the country’s urban areas. There is no more land in areas such as Port Moresby, Lae, Kokopo and Rabaul and in West New Britain, Eastern Highlands, Western Highlands, Madang and East Sepik provinces. We want to access more land and extend the urban boundaries with careful planning and to pay or partner those land in careful consultation with the landowners.”
The Deputy Prime Minister said that they will ensure that also low-income earners are part of the program. That will be targeted at our lower income workers and SME around the 100 thousand kina packages.
