The Minister for Justice and Attorney General and Member for Imbonggu, Pila Niningi, has noted that from the 20th - 31st March 2023,
Imbonggu District in the Southern Highlands Province, will be hosting the Land Commission of Papua New Guinea and the Office of the Solicitor General.
The Land Commission will be conducting its awareness and hearings in the district, whilst the Solicitor General will be conducting its Client Out-Reach Program from the 27th to 31st March 2023.
In welcoming the Land Commission to Imbonggu District on Monday 20th March, Minister Niningi noted the status of the Land Commission as a quasi-judicial entity and emphasized the need for constructive awareness and consultations with all relevant stakeholders.
Niningi gave his undertaking to fully implement the Land Commission Act which includes the appointment of commissioners and the esablishment of the office as an independent quasi-judicial body.
He is pleased that Land Commission has been able to come down to the district level and hold constructive consultation with the district administration on the development of Imbonggu District. One of the major priority for the district is the development and modernization of Walume Station as a modern township. A number of important government services are already located within the Walume Station such as the new district office, a new police station, a new national court house, a community Justice Services Centre, a Community Development Centre, staff residential houses and a proposed police barracks.
Niningi called on the people of Imbonggu District to voluntarily offer their customary land as part of the expansion of the district, starting with the Walume Township.
He added that Walume Township has already been surveyed to the value of K12million, to which K6million has been paid to the identified customary landowner groups as per the Land Investigation Report.
The Minister also noted that Land Commission will be conducting a formal hearing over the land on which the Buiebi Correctional Institution is located. This has been a long outstanding matter and he is glad the Land Commission is here to add closure to the matter.
Minister Niningi is positive of a fruitful outcome of the hearing and is looking forward to a report from the Land Commission on the outcome of the consultations.