More people should own homes

Main Stories, National
Source:

The National, Friday February 21st, 2014

 NATIONAL Housing Corporation managing director John Dege hopes to see more Papua New Guineans become home owners with increased economic prosperity in the country on the back of the PNG LNG project,

He said that yesterday when asked to comment on how the economic growth of the country would impact individuals owning homes.

“There will be a lot of money in individual pockets as a result of the benefits that will emanate from the LNG,” Dege said.

“There’s a lot of land available through the Department of Lands so individuals are be able to secure vacant blocks and start developing commercial interests.

“But for us (NHC), we’re more concerned about social housing rollout programmes.

“We, as a government, plan to address housing only for the public servants and low and medium income earners.

“We’re not so much focused on up market commercial property investment.”

Dege admitted that the NHC had failed to build new houses in place of old ones that were given away by the government, resulting in many public servants now living in squatter settlements.

“That is negligence on the part of Housing Corporation,” he said.