The former Minister for State Enterprises and Hagen MP William Duma has declined to comment about the National Executive Council decision on his removal.
Prime Minister Peter O’Neill in a media conference on Monday announced that the Minister for Defence Fabian Pok and Minister Duma had stepped aside from their ministerial responsibilities pending the conclusion and outcomes of a Commission of Inquiry (COI) into the purchase of Manumanu land to relocate the PNGDF establishments in Port Moresby to Central Province.
Duma told Loop PNG that the Prime Minister had already released the information and will wait for the completion of the COI.
Duma in a personal explanation to Parliament last week said the allegation raised by his predecessor, Ben Micah on the floor was not accurate.
He had maintained that nothing illegal or corrupt in the decision to spend K46.6 million to acquire land for the relocation of PNG Defence Force bases.
Duma said it was a National Executive Council decision dating back to 2012 to relocate the establishment of PNGDF establishment out of Port Moresby.
However, the Opposition had maintained that the decision of the purchase of land was done fraudulently because the minister had interest in the private company which received payment from Kumul Consolidated Holdings.