EIGHTY FAMILIES RECEIVE LAND TITLES UNDER SARAGA RESETTLEMENT SCHEME

CAPTION: Community leaders signed off on the land titles at the NCD City Hall on behalf of the families.

BY RICKY ISRAEL

EIGTHY families from Simbu and Eastern Highlands previously living near the YMCA and and the 2 Mile Memorial area received legal land titles for land portions at Saraga in the 6 mile area in Port Moresby under the Saraga Resettlement Scheme in Port Moresby.

The families were previously living near the YMCA and the 2 Mile Memorial area. They will now relocate to the Saraga Estate near the Six Mile area. The new land is legally owned and can be developed by the families and passed on to future generations.

Member for Moresby South and Minister for Foreign Affairs, Justin Tkatchenko said the resettlement process was well planned and transparent and explained that it took about three years to identify genuine families and complete the land title process.

He said the land was given only to hardworking families with no criminal background.

Tkatchenko explained that before the land was allocated, officers from the National Capital District Commission, Moresby South District Office, the Electoral Office, and NCDC Social Services conducted house to house surveys, collected household details and recorded information for each family.

Each family contributed K20,000 to secure their land title. More land blocks will also be provided to families affected by road construction and other city development projects.

The Saraga Resettlement Scheme is part of the K70 million NCD Resettlement Programme. It is supported by the National Capital District Commission and the Lands Department. The programme aims to protect state land while helping genuine residents own land legally.

Community leaders signed the land titles at the NCD City Hall on behalf of the families and was witnessed by members of the Simbu and Eastern Highlands communities, NCD Governor Powes Parkop, and the Member for Moresby South and Minister for Foreign Affairs, Justin Tkatchenko.

For the families who received their titles, the event marks a new beginning and a more secure future.