NHC roles under fire

CHURCHES, NGOs, the private sector and others are providing the same, or sometimes alternative, goods and services which the government is providing for Papua New Guinea citizens.
The government has to forgo some of its goods and services delivery functions to the stakeholders mentioned above at some point soon.
For instance, some schools and rural hospitals are managed by churches.
On this note, I wish to express my opinion on the functions of the National Housing Corporation (NHC).
NHC has been riddled with mismanagement and corruption.
It cannot take stock of its assets (houses and land) and is selling properties left, right and centre, and even displaces families.
Through the media, people have become aware of what is going on at the corporation.
Many government departments and even the private sector are engaged in home-ownership schemes for their employees.
NHC’s sole responsibility is to provide affordable housing for public servants who are employees of the State.
This is not the case anymore because people outside the public service are buying houses and land.
The question is whose interests is NHC serving?
NHC employees are unproductive in the sense that there are no new housing developments except for Duran Farm, which is slow to get off the ground.
NHC properties are constantly being sold just to fund the salaries of unproductive employees who are good at evicting families.
Employees go without pay for three or four consecutive fortnights until some properties are sold to pay bills.
NHC is not generating any substantial revenue from rentals to sustain its operations.
It is not even in a position to maintain its houses around the country.
Its business arm, NHC Housing Estate Limited, is just an entity duplicating its very own tasks.
Board members get fat allowances for doing nothing and do not provide the leadership and direction to help the organisation fulfil its core business.
It is employing too many people who are doing nothing and wasting government funds and obtaining small loans from street lenders and finance companies.
I strongly appeal to the prime minister and National Executive Council to abolish NHC and allow each government department and statutory body to embark on its own employees’ housing scheme.
NHC is not serving its purposes.

Painim Haus Yet
Morata Swamp