Housing seen as a worker’s basic need

Housing is one of the basic needs in a person’s life yet a common problem public servants face, Investment Promotions Authority acting managing director Clarence Hoot says.
“Getting a house is difficult for people working in the public sector,” he said during a ground-breaking ceremony of the Ministry of Commerce and Industry staff housing project in Port Moresby this week.
“Most government departments, when they advertise a position in the newspaper, you will read housing as not a condition of employment,” Hoot said.
He said the Commerce and Industry Department and agencies under the ministry had not been providing housing to their staff in the past years
“The initiative by Minister Wera Mori was the first of its kind and IPA management and board are looking forward to support where they can,” Hoot said.
Small Medium Enterprise Corporation managing director Steven Maken said the project would give staff financial empowerment and allow them accessibility to clean water and sanitation which were goals under the UN sustainable development goals PNG is a signatory to.
“SME Corporation supports the ministry and we are looking forward to working closely with all the committees,” he said.