Update on HHRP vital to landowners

Letters, Normal
Source:

The National, Monday 06th Febuary 2012

I REFER to the Jan 9 notice put up by Department of Works to clarify the Highlands Highway payments.
In 2002-03, the government initiated the Highlands Highway rehabilitation programme (HHRP) where critical sections in Chimbu, WHP and SHP were identified for major upgrading and sealing.
The purpose of the HHRP is to maintain the Highlands Highway in good condition and shape because it is a vital infrastructure connecting the highlands and the coast.
The lands and physical planning valuation team was appointed by the department to identify genuine landowners who live along the Highland Highway within the 40m road corridor who will be impacted by the HHRP to be paid compensation for damage to properties and structures.
However, the allocated funds for the HHRP were exhausted only in Chimbu section of the Highlands Highway through a flawed valuation process in  Contract No 09, 10 and 11.
As a result the entire programme was suspended until Mori Resources Consultants was contracted to carry out the valuation using sophisticated GIS Map Info Satellite Mapping System to capture accurate information to identify genuine landowners for compensation payments to avoid fraudulent deals.
Recently Mori Resources Consultants trialled the GIS Map Info Satellite System in the SHP under HHRP Contract No 13 and 14 from Kaugel to Angula sections and the results of work was fair and reasonable that justified the compensation payments amounting to K10 million whereas the previous record from Chimbu section alone showed payments exceeding K54 million and further alleged miss-out claims valued at more than K68 million.
I am far more confident with the valuation process to cover full stretch of the Highlands Highway and equally compensate the landowners as well as providing reliable feedback to the government for checks and balances.
To date the payments were done only in Chimbu and SHP and yet to cover others sections of the Highlands Highway in order to honour the government’s commitment in the HHRP as specified in the scope of works.
The people of WHP are still waiting for the valuation process to be completed and compensation payments made for damage to our properties and structures located within the 40m corridor.
It appears that some dishonest public servants are colluding with unscrupulous individuals and defrauding the state through bogus claims exceeding K54 million.
We need to fully understand the correct procedures and processes of acquiring compensation payments as genuine landowners because we will be adversely impacted in one way or the another during the implementation of HHRP.
Can either Mori Resources Consultants or the DOW inform the people of WHP on the progressive results of the HHRP and also provide the list of contract numbers for each section of the Highlands Highway within WHP?

John Kanamba
Via email