Housing estate’s controversies settled, ‘crawling’ in business, boss says

 NATIONAL Housing Estate Ltd (NHEL) executive chairman Kevin Ahipum says all recent controversies regarding the organisation are now “water under the bridge”.

He said that after NHEL shareholders – Finance Minister James Marape and Housing Minister Paul Isikiel – met yesterday followed by a meeting with staff.

Isikiel and Ahipum earlier this week returned from a trip to South Korea, details of which were not revealed.

“Any other issues are now settled and that’s ‘water under the bridge’,” Ahipum told reporters.

“We are now ‘crawling’ in business, we are ready to do our job.

“The only issue we will work on to improve after our shareholders’ meeting is the demarcation between the National Housing Corporation and National Housing Estate Ltd.

“That’s the only nagging issue.

“Other than that, we are an entity here to deliver the objective of the government, under business arrangement and venturing into the real estate market.

“The Housing Corporation has its own mandate.”

Asked to comment on last week’s outburst by NHC managing director John Dege, who refused to recognise the appointment of Ahipum as executive chairman and CEO, and threatened to take back all its properties rendered to NHEL, Ahipum said: “We are prepared to work with our brothers who are on the other side (NHC), in our demarcated roles.

“The sticking point is the demarcated roles in the two organisations that needs to be clearly defined.

“NHEL is a government entity to fulfill government’s objective to service the country with affordable accommodation, and NHC has a social obligation to the people of PNG.”