THE National Housing Corporation has warned all tenants nationwide to pay their outstanding rental arrears of up to K14 million dating to December 2021.
National Housing Corporation managing director Henry Mokono issued the warning in a press conference held in Port Moresby last week.
“So far as taking ownership of NHC properties across the nation, NHC, as you all know, has footprints all over the country,” Mokono said.
He pointed out that they had issues with illegal tenants not only in Port Moresby but in major towns like Lae, Goroka and other provincial centers as well.
He said settlers were encroaching on to NHC land and properties in most parts of Papua New Guinea.
“We try to take stock, in fact we are doing it and its work in progress now. We have our accounts department going through the listings of every land and property in the country; how much they owe NHC,” Mr. Mokono said.
“So we have come this far since December last year in terms of debts or money owed to NHC by defaulting tenants who are living in those properties.”
Mr. Mokono further elaborated that they have realized that some of those properties have been given to those who are in those properties through direct grants which was illegal and unlawful and should not have been done.
“To be realistic, some of those land and properties owned by NHC across PNG, we never took charge of. So we have landowners and people from those particular provinces coming in and staying and establishing business on NHC land,” he said.
“What we are doing now is we are going to take over those land and properties that is owned by NHC. We started it already in Lae, New Ireland and shortly we are going out to Vanimo, Wewak and Madang.
“Whatever that is State-owned and under the custody of NHC must be returned back to the State and must be managed properly here.
“If these are to be sold and unlocked we need to deal with proper authorities like town authorities, district development authorities and provincial governments,” he said.
“As we speak, from the latest update as of December last year, all these defaulting owe NHC over K14 million in rental arrears.”
Mr. Mokono added that those outstanding bills have to be paid or defaulting tenants have to simply vacate these properties.