Expansion of Lae city lacks consultation with landowners

THE Morobe land board chairman John Ngadang is concerned with the lack of awareness and consultation with Ahi, Wampar and Nabak landowners over the expansion of Lae city.
Ngadang said the land board and its administration were yet to conduct awareness and stakeholders’ consultation in parts of nearby Wampar, Ahi, Labu, Nabak and Labuta areas on the Lae-Nadzab urban development plan 2016-25.
Similarly, the land board has many outstanding issues over illegal land dealing in Lae city.
“We have the full land board in place comprised of professionals and reputable long time business people in Lae but we are handicapped with funding from provincial government to execute our roles and responsibilities effectively,” Ngadang said.
He appealed to Menyamya MP Thomas Pelika, Governor Ginson Saonu and MPs Ross Seymour (Huon Gulf) and Kennedy Wenge (Nawaeb) to assist.
Ngadang said the provincial government was yet to conduct awareness to educate landowners about the government’s intention to expand the city to Nadzab, Situm and Gabensis including Labu villagers.
“We should make our intentions known to customary landowners to understand how best we can work in partnership to acquire or lease customary land, how can the government help them with incorporated land group associations among others issues,” he said.
“However, with current scenario, the customary landowners are selling land like hot cakes as we can see many settlements are sprouting like mushrooms along the highways and towards Situm including Ahi land.”
Ngadang urged the provincial physical planning board and building board to work together to protect the interest of provincial governments and customary landowners.