Former MPs told to return public assets

By JEFFREY ELAPA
FORMER MPs who are in possession of public assets have been urged to return them to police and provincial
authorities.
Parliament was told last week that a new trend had emerged in PNG where former MPs and their cronies had taken assets bought through public funds.
Assets such heavy equipment, vehicles and office equipment were not registered, several MPs told the house.
Among those that have openly issued voluntarily return of the assets is the member for Laiagam-Porgera MP Nixon Mangape, a first-term politician.
Mangape has called on public servants and individuals in possession of public utilities such as vehicles, trucks and machinery for the Laiagam-Porgera district to return them in good condition at the Porgera police station within seven days to be given to public servants to do work.
He said at least 20 vehicles were in Enga, Western Highlands and Southern Highlands and called on the people responsible to return them immediately to deliver services to the people.
“I urge you all to return any asset belonging to the district to the Porgera police station within seven days. Failure to do so will result in the utilities being impounded and arrest of those responsible,” Mangape said.
He said his office had reports of the whereabouts of the vehicles and machinery.