Lands goes after developer in move to reclaim Koki title

National

The Department of Lands and Physical Planning will re-issue a “notice to show cause” why the developer of reclaimed land at Koki, NCD, should not forfeit it, Minister for Lands and Physical Planning Justin Tkatchenko says.
Tkatchenko told The National that the piece of land was originally planned for a recreational and sporting area but was sold by Kitogara, a local company that claimed to have the title for it, to a foreign business entity.
“My direction now as lands minister is that they should have never built on that land, they should never have,” Tkatchenko said.
“The notice to show cause has to be given to them again because they have to show cause why at the particular time they did not fulfil the covenant of what the title required.
“I have a right as the elected leader of the people of Moresby South to fight for what is theirs.”
Tkatchenko said the land was part of the sea foreshore and NCDC, under the city administration and former MP Dame Carol Kidu, worked to reclaim that portion of land for recreational and sporting facilities for the Wanigela people and surrounding community.
“Curtain Brothers, who at that time was working on the Ring Road, backfilled the reclaimed area at the request of NCDC and the local MP.
“Over the years, the owners of Kitogara got the title over the entire reclaimed land and sold it to a foreign company for K3 million.
“Under the title requirements of that piece of land, the company was supposed to spend K2 million in five years to develop it.
“They, however, breached the title conditions and eight years later no work was done on that land, resulting in the breach of the covenant under that land.
“We were going to develop a mini ground, volleyball and basketball courts for the people of Wanigela and surrounding area.”