The Office of the Ombudsman Commission had been closed since last Friday due to non-payment of bills.
Acting Chief Ombudsman Michael Dick in a media conference this afternoon confirmed payments had been made but the doors are still locked by the agent of the landlord.
He clarified that as an agent of the State, the rental payments are made by Finance Department through the Government Office Allocation Committee.
“The Ombudsman Commission would like to inform the public that as of Friday 17 March, its head office in Port Moresby and Lae (regional office) have been locked by respective landlords,” Dick said.
The regional offices in Kokopo and Mt Hagen are still open.
Acting Chief Ombudsman said, K975, 000 outstanding rentals was paid by Finance Department, but the door are still locked as both parties make reconciliation of other outstanding fees.
“The lease agreement is between Nasfund and the State, what we call the Government Office Allocation Committee. And OC is the agent of State and tenant of the property, the Department of Finance pays for the rental, not OC,” Dick said.
“We appeal to Nasfund as a good corporate citizen, on the undertaking of Department of Finance to pay as soon as the unexpected charges are resolved.”