NAC defers eviction

The National Airports Corporation (NAC) has announced it will defer the planned eviction of settlers on the aerodrome land in Port Moresby, due to the National General Elections.

The deferral was announced by NAC Managing Director in a press conference yesterday.

“So this is to inform the public that last week the 13th of May 2022 the National court has given us the orders on their application that we filed to set aside the interim quarter that was taken out by the illegal landowners and the court has granted us that order. So what it means now is that based on the court order NAC has now got a hold of all our land that has been in the illegal customary landownership. There has been a lot of selling of our land to interested parties by landowners and the court has made the decision and we have a court order in place. We have now got all our land back, which means that NAC will start evicting the illegal settlers, but due to the current circumstances the country is faced with we want to inform the public, especially those who are living within the aerodrome land that as from the date of the order which is the 13th of May 2022, we are giving you four months to start planning to leave our land (and) settle elsewhere,” said Mr Kiponge.

Failure to move off the land, will result in NAC exercising its right to forcefully evict people.

Kiponge said, “Settlers have been given ample time, from 13th May to the 30th of September, to resettle. After the 30th of September, NAC will then start exercising its right as the rightful landlord to start reclaiming our land back.”

He stated that part of the reason in reclaiming the land is to expand aerodrome activities.

Mr. Kiponge said that there was a lot of demand on the use of the aerodrome land in the past, but it was not done because people claiming to be landowners had claimed it.

“I’m happy to announce to the public also that these are some of the legacy issues that we are now addressing and land is one of those long outstanding legacy issues.”

Author: 
Jasmine Iru