KAUGERE RESIDENTS RECEIVE LAND TITLES

By Naomi TAKOMA

IN a landmark event held this week at Don Bosco Technical School in Gabutu, over 300 residents from Kaugere were formally presented with land titles by Moresby South MP and Minister for Foreign Affairs, Hon. Justin Tkatchenko.

The long-awaited ceremony marks a significant step in securing legal land tenure for families who have lived on their properties for two to three generations without formal documentation.

“This is about finally saying: where you live is where you stay,” Minister Tkatchenko told a packed crowd. “The last thing I want to see is anyone being evicted from a home they’ve had for so many years. That ends today.”

The initiative is being delivered in partnership with the National Housing Corporation (NHC), which will continue the title distribution process at its headquarters in coming weeks. Five families symbolically signed their documents during today’s ceremony, with 20 to 30 families scheduled daily to follow suit at NHC.

Minister Tkatchenko emphasized that while only a portion of the titles were signed is for legal and logistical reasons, assessments for all 300-plus homeowners have already been completed and verified.

“Bringing all the files here would have required multiple trucks, and we didn’t want any legality to be questioned,” he said.

The land title program covers not only Kaugere but extends to surrounding areas including Joyce Bay, Kila Barracks, among others. Minister Tkatchenko said many of the outstanding land payments for these areas have already been settled, including more than K100,000 in arrears paid for Kila Barracks after his re-election.

“This is about settling what you cannot afford, for the benefit of you, your families, and future generations,” he said.

He also made clear that the process would remain transparent and free from corruption. “We will not entertain bribery or corruption. This is for the people.”

Residents cheered as the Housing and Urbanisation Minister was welcomed on stage, with acknowledgments given to key partners, including NHC staff Peter Killipat, Thomas Boggy, and Margot, for their role in making the program a reality.

The initiative is part of a broader urban housing reform aimed at bringing dignity, security, and legal ownership to thousands of informal settlers across Port Moresby.