Firms agree to build homes

By JAMES GUKEN
DWU journalism student
THREE more companies have signed a memorandum of agreement (MoA) with the National Housing Cooperation (NHC) to build affordable houses at Duran Farm yesterday.
NHC managing director Henry Mokono said the signing of the MoA by Zenith Construction, Rhodes PNG Ltd and Pacific Energy consulting made a total of five construction companies along with the China State Construction Engineering Corporation and Quick Build that signed their MoAs last month.
He said a local group called Dabunari Boteka Independent Label Group had filed a case against Papua New Guinea Resource Corporation Ltd, NHC, the Lands and Physical Planning Department and independent State of PNG.
Mokono said the landowners were seeking orders that the duly registered land potion 528 belonging to them but their case was dismissed by the Waigani National Court after
presenting of evidence by the defendants declaring Duran Farm as State land.
Housing Minister Justin Tkatchenko said each company would be allocated about 500 allotments to build the houses.
He said the project would help solve the housing issues in the National Capital District.
Tkatchenko said the pricing of the houses would be set by the Government.