The Nambu NambuLandowner Association from Angoram inthe East Sepik Province is alleging foul play bytheLands Department in paying outtheir royalties.
The owners ofthe land on which Angoram Station sits, saythey have been giventhe run-a-round by lands officers despite having provided a proper submission early this year for payments.
Two ofthe representatives saythe issue is having a financial burden onthem asthey have travelled fromtheir homes in Angoram, allthe way to Port Moresby.
Maria Tan and Valentine Manau have been in Port Moresby for the last 7 months.
Their stay here has been lenthened due tothe uncertainty as to whenthey will receivetheir royalties fromthe lands department.
For Maria’s village and two thers, this battle has been ongoing since independence.
It culminated in a protest in 1998 wherethe Angoram Station was closed for a week.
A legal battle ensued andthe association was awarded a settlement payment in 2000 and was to be paid that year.
That was never done andthey were referred to Port Moresby tothe lands headquarters.
The wait is also placing a financial toll onthe family in following up ontheir submission.
They have called ontheir newly elected MP Salio Waipo to bring this totheLands Minister’s attention.
Attempts to get comments from him were unsuccessful.
https://youtube.com/watch?v=NXSoleFUzE0%3Ffeature%3Doembed%26wmode%3Dopaque%26showinfo%3D0%26showsearch%3D0%26rel%3D0
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