By JOEL K ANDREW
The Morobe Provincial Government has taken steps to restore two critical land administration bodies following years of inactivity that have impacted planning and development across the province.
Chairman of the Morobe Provincial Executive Council (PEC) and Governor, Rainbo Paita, confirmed that the council has formally recommended new appointments for the Morobe Physical Planning Board and the Morobe Lands Board.
The two boards, established under the Physical Planning Act and the Lands Act, play a central role in land management, urban planning, and the processing of development applications. However, both boards have remained inactive since their previous terms lapsed in 2023.
Governor Paita acknowledged that the delay stemmed from the provincial government’s failure to submit new nominations to the responsible minister after the 2019 board appointments expired.
“The absence of these boards has significantly affected land administration and planning processes, including applications submitted by businesses and the public,” he said.
The PEC has now completed its nominations in line with legislative requirements, ensuring representation from key stakeholders. These include members from both national and provincial governments, the Lae City Authority, the business community, churches, the Council of Women, and other industry bodies.
The proposed boards also reflect regional representation across Morobe’s three administrative zones the Anga, Fisika, and Huon.
Governor Paita said the nominations have been forwarded to the Minister and Secretary for Lands and Physical Planning for consideration. Once the appointments are formalized and officially gazetted, the public will be notified of the new board members.
The re-establishment of these boards is expected to restore confidence in land administration processes and support development activities across Morobe Province