Ahi land group appoints execs

By GABRIEL LAHOC
THE Ahi Land Mobilisation programme of the Ahi people recognised as the traditional landowners of Lae has been revived and aptly backed to prioritise all Ahi traditional land as part of the best approach in Lae city’s urbanisation process.
This follows the swearing of an executive committee and working committee who are adamant in seeing Ahi Land Mobilisation programme being truly owned by the Ahi people in Lae.
The new look ALM executive team is led by John Ngandang as chairman, his deputy Moses Aisen, treasurer Hiob Nganining and Yawing Beeps as secretary.
They were formally sworn into office last Friday at the Ahi local level government center in Malahang in the presence of Lae district administrator Robin Calistus and 20 of the 36 clan representatives.
ALM deputy chairman Aisen said the challenge is on them to retain all traditional land for the clans to benefit, as one of the problems facing them is that there are more than one clan leader amongst the 36 clans with some engaged in their own land deals with outsiders.
Calistus said the K1 million funding under Lae MP Bart Philemon enabled ALM to have a full time executive officer of ALM, the purchase of a new bus which will assist in solving land disputes and certification of Incorporated Land Groups.
“The people must unite and cooperate in the tasks ahead,” he said.

He said the provincial administrator, his office and the Land division will assist in facilitate the ALM program in reclaiming their traditional land as well as develop the land commercially.