Nadzab land under dispute

 By PISAI GUMAR

TWO clans – Orogwangin and Orognaron – in Morobe are in dispute over who owns the land on which the Nadzab Airport and Erap station are located.

Orognaron clan leader Geam Warrago yesterday questioned a statement by Orogwangin clan spokesman Paul Joshua last Friday that they owned the Nadzab land. 

Warrago said Joshua’s Orogwangin and Zeaganchon clans had no legal rights including genealogical history, affiliation and whatever to Ngawampog (Nadzab Airport) Portions 401, 402 and Dogoro (Erap station) Portions 391 and 389.

Warrago’s claim was confirmed by former Huon Gulf district administrator Tony Ase who said the Orognaron clan was the only legally recognised customary landowner of  Ngawampog and Dogoro.

He said the government dealt with this clan on any issues over the land.

Warrago said a temporary court order issued by Joshua through police restraining the state and provincial government from dealing with the Orognaronclan was baseless.

“The court order has no file number, no magistrate’s name and signature. I wonder which district court stamp was affixed on it. This is obvious abuse of procedures,”  Warrago said.