Landowners along highway warned

Landowners along the Hiritano Highway in Central have been warned against destroying public property, particularly during  the upgrading project of the highway.
Secretary Works and Implementation David Wereh gave the warning at the launching of the project contract on Friday.
Wereh told The National that the department started using the Infrastructure Protection Act to penalise offenders and a case involving landowners in Kainantu, Eastern Highlands, was the first.
“The law is already in operation, it’s the enforcement bit and Kainantu landowners case is the first. We have successfully obtained a restraining order using this law,” Wereh said.
“Landowners from road corridor dwellers must be aware that the Road Transport Act is already in operation and it’s got very severe penalties.”
The penalties range from K100,000 to K1 million fines and can even imprisonment.
“If you block off public transport infrastructure assets in the country, the penalties are serious,”  he said.
Wereh said in Kainantu they had set aside K120 million worth of claims using the Infrastructure Protection Act. “The judges have warned the Kainantu landowners to stay away from public asset or else they will find themselves in trouble with the law.”