The University of Papua New Guinea (UPNG) is now appointing a committee to oversee staff housing issues.
The National Academic Staff Association (NASA) at UPNG had called on the university management to address housing problems surrounding the allocation of houses, maintenance and the housing scheme.
NASA members met with UPNG vice chancellor Professor Albert Mellam yesterday and were told that funding has been a problem for the university for a long period of time.
NASA president Emmanuel Gorea, when addressing the media after the meeting, said the management is shifting the responsibility away from the Registrar to appoint the committee.
Gorea said with this new arrangement, NASA hopes most of the problems that they have will be resolved.
One of the commitments Mellam made was handing over the housing scheme program back to NASA, stated the NASA president.
NASA will be responsible for sorting out the housing scheme and finding a way forward in trying to address the issue.
Gorea confirmed about 60 staff are affected by the housing issue and some are part-time staff who are living outside the university housing estate.
Mellam explained to the staff that for those staff that have left the university but still occupy houses, they still have outstanding court issues with the university so they will remain there until all their issues are sorted out.
(NASA president Emmanuel Gorea speaking to media yesterday at the University of Papua New Guinea.)