K10m airport payment queried

By JEFFREY ELAPA
LANDOWNERS of Tari airport, in the new Hela province, claim the State has paid K10 million to two people who are not legitimate landowners.
They alleged the two men forged documents to obtain the funds.
The Propaja Kikita clans, which own about 45% of the land the airport sits on, said the two men who received the K10 million were not true landowners.
Similar concerns were raised by former lord mayor and businessman George Tagobe on behalf of his clan.
The landowners said since no land demarcation had been done, “the real landowners have been left out in preference of paper landowners who did not represent any of the affected landowner clans”.
The landowners are demanding the government pay them another K10 million because the true landowners had not benefited at all.
Spokesman and clan leader Jacob Andaija said government agencies like the National Airport Corporation and the airline industry as well as company officials should not associate themselves with the two men who claimed to act on behalf of the landowners.
Andaija, who is one of the sons of the late premier Andrew Andaija, said K50,000 was deposited into his account from the K10 million but queried who would benefit from it.
“Who is going to benefit from the K50,000? Is it for all the landowners? ” Andaija asked.
He said the two men had breached a memorandum of agreement among the major clan leaders and had gone ahead to buy vehicles, real estate in Australia, operated five different bank accounts and made transactions not approved by the landowners.
Andaija said another K1.5 million was deposited into Network Security Services, which was owned by one of them.
He said all genuine landowners had missed out and that had raised serious questions.