THE New Ireland provincial government has called on individuals holding onto government assets to return them.
Deputy governor Derol Maisi said the assets recovery team (ART) would only repossess assets from individuals and not women’s group, community groups, churches, youths, schools and other public entities that conform to the laws governing delivery of government services.
He said for the past week, there was confusion behind the government’s move to repossess items distributed by the last government.
He said the ART would only recover items from individuals as they breached government laws and practices.
Mr Maisi said the team was set up following public outcry and allegations that individual supporters of the former government, who were exclusive members of the “Lemus structure”, were beneficiaries of assets brought with public funds.
He urged those individuals to surrender those government assets, failing that, the team will repossess them and later auction them.