Houses have to be demolished: Minister

HOUSING Minister Justin Tkatchenko says about 60 houses built by a contractor at the Duran Farm housing project in Port Moresby have to be demolished.
He said this was one of the tasks the new National Housing Corporation (NHC) managing director Henry Mokono needed to do immediately.
Tkatchenko said this at a hand-over ceremony between outgoing acting managing director Elizabeth Bowada and Mokono.
Tkatchenko praised Bowada for her achievements in her two years as NHC head.
He announced that the NHC staff ceiling would be reduced from 380 to 270, thus, saving the Government K6 million a year in salaries.
“What I’ve been doing with Elizabeth in the past two years was cleaning up, we are still cleaning up,” Tkatchenko said.
“It’s not going to be easy for Henry with all the legacy issues.”
Mokono agreed with his minister, saying NHC had been plagued with chronic problems.
Mokono said: “I will not entertain corruption in this place.
“I won’t tolerate buai-chewing.
“We do simple things and we do them right.
“My appeal to managers, you all know the co-functions of this organisation.
“We need to realign, we will change this place this time.”
Tkatchenko noted that the Government had allocated K10 million to upgrade the National Housing Corporation headquarters at Tokarara.