National Academic Staff Association President Emmanuel Gorea

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.

This comes after staff raised concerns over the inappropriate checks at the gate by security personnel.

UPNG National Academic Staff Association (NASA) president Emmanuel Gorea said they were told by vice chancellor Professor Albert Mellam that this is a management issue.

Gorea said the management sees that it is proper to continue with this security check given the reports of people taking unauthorised material into campus.

The staff were told that security will remain as it is until the management feels that the environment is safe.

Word has been circulating around the UPNG campus that NASA will stop work over the non-payment of its members.

However, President Emmanuel Gorea told Loop PNG that: “Going on strike will be our last resort, if we have exhausted all other avenues”.

“Some of us have not been paid last year and this year,” Gorea confirms. But discussions over their salary issues are already underway with the UPNG administration.

The president stresses that they want the students to complete their first semester as they ‘have been through a lot already’.