Awesa puts a stop to new compo claims

 WORKS Minister Francis Awesa has reiterated in Parliament that he will not tolerate any more compensation claims.

He said that when answering questions from Chuave MP Wera Mori in regards to a statement by Awesa that a Chimbu group was making compensation claims of up to K67 million.

“Compensation claims are not an industry in Chimbu,” Mori said.

He asked if there really was such a claim of K67 million, what were previous claims by Chimbu, and what had Works done.

Awesa, in response, said Mori was privy to many of the compensation claims in Chimbu before he became an MP.

He said that a former Works Secretary had been charged by police for fraudulent payments to landowners.

Awesa said there was a group in Chimbu called Landowners’ Association, which was making a claim of K67 million against the Government and the matter was before court.

Mori called a point of order to say the Government should not entertain such “false claims”.

“I cannot sit in this Parliament as a leader of Chuave, and Chimbu, and see the name of Chimbu dragged into the mud.” 

Awesa said Mori was responsible for the compensation payments that took place in Chimbu in which many people were not paid by his consultancy firm.

“I’m confirming here that there’s a claim for K67 million against the State, after K54 million was paid to landowners. 

“Because of the precedent set by these huge payments, we are now bombarded with so many claims; it’s gone out of control.”

“I’ve seen before many times here that compensation isssues are becoming a very, very big industry.”

Awesa said he would provide a detailed report to Mori.

“It’s being promoted by a lot of people, so-called consultants and bureaucrats, and as far as I know, we have not made any single (compensation) payment in the last two years.

“I want to assure Parliament that we have not paid any payment in the (Chimbu) province.

“There will be more investigations to verify those claims.

“It’s an industry that’s getting out of control, people are coming with all sorts of compensation claims.”

Awesa said he would provide a detailed report to Mori.