Police families displaced, denied housing

By HELEN TARAWA
TWO families of long-serving police officers have been displaced and living under their houses for over a month after the NCD police hierarchy refused them entry to new houses at the Tasion Barracks.
Louisa Yapri, from Central, and Joy Mono, from Enga, have been living in the Tasion Police Barracks for almost 15 years.
They claimed that the housing committee headed by NCD Metropolitan Superintendent Ben Turi had given keys to officers who were not part of the original 42 being relocated from the old barracks to the new one.
Turi said the police force did not recognise polygamy and would not allow officers with such marriages to live in police houses.
Turi said the officers concerned had been living outside the police houses and their families would not be allowed to continue living there.
A total of 42 families in the Tasion Barracks in Gerehu were relocated to make way for the new 9-Mile – Gerehu Highway.
Yapri said they were displaced from the old barracks and they were looking forward to move into their new homes but they were not allowed.
“What did we do wrong to deserve this treatment? My husband is still serving the police force.
“I have young children who are out in the cold and dust and we have to live under the house in such awkward situations,” she said.
Mono said Turi had assured her family that they would organise their repatriation.
“These houses were built by NCDC for the police officers and their families and yet we have been denied.”