Don’t shut off water: Naru

MOROBE Governor Kelly Naru is appealing to Water PNG not to shut off water supply to Butibam village in Lae.
Naru learnt from Butibam villagers that the water company had given notice to shut down water due to non-payment of bills.
During the ground breaking ceremony of the re-sealing of Butibam village road on Saturday, Ahi paramount chief Nathanial Malac told Naru that Water PNG issued notice to cut off water without considering their ownership of land and water in the area.
Malac said Ahi landowners, including Butibam villagers, were yet to be compensated by the Government for the use of Lae city land, yet one of the government entities saw it fit to shut down water supply into their village.
“How can Water PNG do that?” Malac asked.
“Governor, can you please look into this issue for us.
“Who are you to come and tell us  that you are going to stop our water? Have you paid off the land on which you are getting water from?”
Naru promised the Butibam landowners that he would look into the matter.
“If the government cannot pay up the millions it owes to the Ahi people, the government can partner the landowners with entities like Water PNG or PNG Ports and other companies entering Lae city,” Naru said.
He said that Morobe government’s public- private landowner partnership (PPLOP) policy was in place to ensure landowner benefits in developments and projects.