NHC to start evictions

THE National Housing Corporation (NHC) will start evicting tenants with outstanding arrears this year, NHC managing director Henry Mokono says.
“Let this be the warning to every other citizens occupying NHC owned properties nationwide,” he said.
“It is about time for all to start making payments if they have accumulated rental arrears.
“We will send out teams to every property, flat, apartment and house owned by the NHC in Port Moresby, Lae and other centres to remove defaulters.”
Mokono said this after a 78-year-old man from Central and his family were evicted from their property they called home for more than 43 years in Port Moresby on Wednesday.
They had outstanding arrears of about K24,000 over the last two years.
Mokono said the eviction would kick off with NHC staff followed by other tenants with outstanding arrears.
“We have updated the record of all our properties and know who had not been paying their rentals,” he said.
“People occupying NHC property are privileged and blessed to have a roof over their heads for their family because the rentals are very low compared to real-estate companies.
“The fortnightly rentals fees are between K40 and K220 which was not too much to ask.
“But some tenants continue to ignore their tenancy agreement and are not paying their rent.
“Over the years, we have not been making money to re-invest and for renovations on NHC properties.”
Mokono said the NHC could not forever depend on Government’s budget-support because Government agencies had their own priority areas in delivering infrastructure development.
“The NHC should generate its own revenue to pay staff, do maintenance work, build new houses and for operations,” he said.
Mokono said some tenants had arrears accumulated to more than K100,000 and “this is why we must act now to recover what are due to us”. Meanwhile, he said the eviction of family in Hohola was not a “one off thing” where the NHC just decided to evict them.
“I have no particular interest to evict this family,” he said.
“Some social media postings are accusing me of putting my own people there.
“I am a Papua New Guinean and I go by the book.” Mokono said everyone had the right to shelter, as long as they met the criteria.
and were willing to pay