‘NHC still a failure’

The National Housing Corporation (NHC) has failed to provide housing to the rapid urban population growth in urban centres, according to a senior NHC officer. 
NHC acting managing director Kavau Raho said that at present there was less number of housing supply stock compared with the number of people living in urban areas.
“We have not performed, I have to admit.
“While the urban population growth increased mainly through rural to urban drift the number of housing supply stock is depleting,” he said. 
Raho highlighted this during the national seminar hosted by the Office of Urbanisation in relation to the endorsement of the first national urbanisation policy for PNG 2010-30.
He said housing was a problem to the public as well as the private sector, stating the estimated housing supply stock since independence: 1975 – 18,000 houses; 1990 –  3,000; 2000 –  2,500; 2009 –  2,000; and 2010 – 1,500 houses under the NHC and Housing department.  
Raho added that under the leadership of Housing and Urbanisation minister Andrew Kumbakor, more foresight and vision had major government intervention.
He said a national housing policy draft was completed and will soon be submitted to parliament for implementation.