Rural change is vital

By STARZA PAUL
RURAL development must go hand in hand with urban development for the positive development of the country, National Housing Corporation director Tarcissius Muganaua said last Friday in Port Moresby.
“We have an urbanisation policy in place to provide decent housing for all public servants throughout the country but it must work alongside developments in rural setting too,” he said.
He said in order for the new initiatives and the policies to become a reality and workable, political heads must support the staff and management of the corporation.
Muganaua told Minister for Housing and Urbanisation Paul Isikiel that as the new political head of the department, he must help to put forward the policies being undertaken by the corporation.
“We need to put forward a master plan to minimise the housing problem being faced throughout urban and rural centres in our country so we will be greatly needing your support.”
He told Isikiel the organisation could perform better if not for poor management and the continuous change of departmental heads by successive governments.
Muganaua said the corporation had 3,000 housing stocks throughout the country and that needed 50,000-plus houses around the country to cater for the growing population.
Muganaua said the population was expected to increase in the coming years and the corporation must start planning ahead now to meet the demand for housing.
“Today the department has a draft policy which we will release soon.
“And we would like you to assist us by pursuing this to provide decent housing for our people,” he said.