Settlers were on State land, Lands Department clarifies

 A PIECE of land outside Popondetta town is a State lease which some people have been illegally squatting on, Department of Lands and Physical Planning Secretary Romilly Kila-Pat says.

Kila-Pat told The National that land portion 373, Milinch Sangara Double Cross, was a registered State lease.

“Somebody owns the land and property and there is a new lease holder which is why the people living on that land were evicted,” Kila-Pat said.

He was responding to a report that a businessman had evicted Oro settlers on a portion of land using a court order.

Kila-Pat said the land was not a Special Agricultural and Business Lease.

Northern Governor Gary Juffa said a businessman claimed to have obtained a title from the Lands Department office in Port Moresby.

“All the land in Oro, whether for commercial development or otherwise, are subject to scrutiny by the provincial government and no one is allowed into the province without their knowledge,” Juffa said.

“The process in which the title was given to the businessman would be thoroughly investigated to establish whether he was eligible to obtain that land.

“We are not going to allow anyone to come here and grab land claiming they got the title from Port Moresby. 

“We own the land and they should consult us on the ground first.”

Juffa said despite a court order to remove the locals on the land, the Government would not allow anyone to develop any land without their knowledge and approval.