Home built on land reserved for drain demolished

By Olive Sukun
The National Capital District Commission has demolished a property at Konedobu in Port Moresby as it was built on land reserved for drain, according to enforcement unit coordinator Mathias Repo.
He was responding to a query by The National yesterday after a 65-year-old man lost his home and properties to the demolition exercise.
“They did not give us an exact time to move out. They just told us to move out,” Peter Umba said of the demolition.
Umba is devastated. He lived there with his older brother who is in his early 90s, he claimed, and a three-year-old girl who Umba is caring for.
“We don’t have anywhere else to go,” Umba said.
He said he had been living there for almost 32 years.
“We are empowered to do demolitions on reserved land areas under the custody of NCDC,” Repo said.
A demolition notice was given to Umba in June 2016 following an eviction notice on April 1, he said.
“Umba did not comply with notices from physical planning board that is in authority and enough time was also given to relocate to a place that is suitable for them,” Umba said.
“As the enforcement unit of NCDC, we were only doing our job.”
He said, Umba had also breached the ban on raising poultry and livestock in the city by looking after pigs.
Umba is calling on the NCD governor Powes Parkop and Moresby South MP Justin Tkatchenko to help him as he had a 90-year-old and a three-year-old to care for.