Land deal blamed on board delay

A delay in the swearing-in of the Morobe Lands and Physical Planning Board is being partly blamed for the acquisition of pieces of land by businesshouses and individuals for business in residential areas.
According to the Morobe Lands and Physical Planning Minister and Menyamya, MP Thomas Pelika, many residential, recreational and public parks were taken over by businesses or individuals and converted for commercial use.
He said as soon as the Morobe board was in place, he would ensure policies suited the city to address those problems.
“Currently in and around the city, some individuals and business houses have moved into residential, recreational and public parks putting up buildings and converting those places into commercial areas,” Pelika said.
“That should not be the case and I am warning those people doing this as we will catch up with them and make them pay.”.
Pelika claimed buildings were put up around the city whether the building board had certified them or not.
He said those buildings looked ugly and questioned if the building board had verified the standard required.