Agarobe gives assurance to look into land issue

CENTRAL Governor Robert Agarobe has assured the people of Tubusereia that he would personally look into the dispute over Loloata Island and take it to the prime minister and lands minister’s attention.
The landowners aired their grievances through a peaceful protest at Tahira Junction last week, demanding an explanation from the Government on the acquisition of Loloata Island, calling it “illegal land-grabbing”.
They presented their petition to Agarobe, calling on the Government to respond before they take matters into their own hands.
Agarobe said since taking office, he had been fighting over land issues and submitted a petition to the Government in 2018.
“The petition is about the State of Papua New Guinea going back 135 years and investigating Central province’s issues,” Agarobe said. The land was taken from them in 1895 during the colonial period before PNG was established as a state. According to landowners, the 99-year lease ended in 1996 and they notified the Government but after 25 years, they were still waiting for a response.
The acquisition of the land is yet to be completed by the Government in order to be regarded as state land by way of declaration under Section 7 and 9 of the National Land Registration Act.