NHC evicting pastor and family after selling their home

By Rebecca Kuku
A PASTOR and his family are asking the National Housing Corporation to stop their eviction from a property in Port Moresby which they had been occupying for the past 27 years.
Reverend Jacob Boga has been served an eviction notice to vacate Section 67, Lot 6, at Henau Drive, Gordon, by tomorrow although he claimed that he had been up to date with his rent payments.
He said he was not given the opportunity to buy the land and was not aware that a company, JV Steel Investments Limited, had bought it.
“In the last five years, I was away doing missionary work in Mt Hagen and the house was occupied by my family. When I came back, I was surprised to receive the eviction notice,” he said.
“We have been faithful in paying our rent and were just surprised that the company had bought the house without us knowing.”
Boga asked if National Housing Corporation had followed procedures when selling the property.
National Housing Corporation acting managing director Kenneth Cooke said he was not aware of the case but would look into it this week.
Boga said National Housing Corporation chief valuer Tore Ori said the property had not been valued.
“I’m sure there are many honest people in the National Housing Corporation that can help us. I appeal to the authorities to please help us as this property has been our home for the last 27 years,” he said.