Minister for Lands

Lands Minister warns settlers

Minister Rosso clarified an undeveloped land does not give anyone the right to settle on it.

He further warned Members of Parliament not to encourage people in urban centres to illegally claim land.

He was responding to a question raised by Moresby North-East MP John Kaupa regarding portions of land in his electorate.

Minister Rosso responded by putting his fellow MP on notice for supporting illegal land grabbing.

He stressed to parliamentarians that the Department of Lands will be keeping a tight lid on illegal land grabbing across the country.

Minister takes tough stance against land grabbing

“All the illegal land grabbers, we’ll be going through all their files, all the parks and everything in Lae will be our first order of business, (which) is take them back and they will be done properly in the legal way,” said Rosso during the handover- takeover of the Lands Ministry on Tuesday.

Minister Rosso says he will be working close with Minster for Housing and Urbanization, Justin Tkatchenko, to give titles to locals living in National Housing Corporation properties.

Manumanu land files missing

Minister for Lands Justin Tkatchenko said they were approached by the Inquiry to provide the land files, however, they could not be located.

Tkatchenko said he has been informed the Inquiry are currently preparing their report to present to the National Executive Council.

Tkatchenko aims to make customary land bankable

Tkatchenko said currently banks do not allow the use of customary land as security for loans or mortgages.

Tkatchenko said the meeting held on Thursday (Jan 18) aims to find solutions that will allow landowners access to finance or arrangements.

The meeting was held with commercial bank heads and risk assessment officers and lawyers, as well as other government agencies.

“Now we’re working out a system where the bank will accept the customary land title and make it bankable for the benefit for the people of our country,” Tkatchenko stated.