CEO: Housing vital for nation

 NATIONAL Housing Estate Ltd chief executive  officer Madeline Paulisbo says the importance of housing in national development cannot be underestimated.
She said that  on Wednesday when the National Housing Corporation, which operates NHEL as its business arm, launched a project to build up to 40,000 new houses in Port Moresby to address the housing problem in the city.
“This is a milestone in the history of the National Housing Corporation,” Paulisbo said.
“It has moved forward to make sure that after 30 years, work has begun (on building homes). Housing or shelter is not only an issue in PNG but a global issue too.
“Although it is a basic human need, many governments have ignored the National Housing Corporation functions and that it extends its housing plans from the existing ones and extends beyond the peripheries of cities and towns.
“Housing has become an issue that we now see a lot of unplanned settlements going up.”
She said the corporation’s objective was to make sure affordable and durable shelter was provided for the people.
“We are there to make sure that we plan properly and implement properly in effective delivery of shelter in this country,” she said.