The principal landowners of Juha Petroleum Development License (PDL) 9 in Hela Province are calling on the relevant government authorities to address the ongoing landownership issues.
They claim that another group has illegally taken over their rightful position as landowners.
The dispute, which has lasted for four years, has seen the Hela faction landowners of the Juha PDL 9 appear in court against a group they refer to as “paper landowners.”
Juha SPA Chairman Peter Andama explained that there was a team in Port Moresby claiming to be landowners.
“One of the teams in Port Moresby, who are not the land owners and as per the record you will see the PDL is the rightful landowners here, the paper landowners hijacking the process and we are challenging them in the supreme court, but they went ahead and swore in this authority.” Andama said.
According to the Hela faction, those involved in the case have been charged with contempt of court.
The landowners group expressed their frustration and appealed for the intervention of government authorities, including the Provincial Governor and the local Member of Parliament, to resolve the matter.
“We appeal to our governor Philip Undialu and our member William Bando you all know who the principal land owners are,” he said.
Supporting their call for resolution is the Paramount Chief of PDL 9 landowners, who stands with the Hela faction in seeking justice.
“I ‘am Chief Tami, I did not appoint the people involved, I appointed only two, Peter Andama and Hapialu Tami who is my son and appointed him.” Paramount Chief, PDL 9 LO’s Tami Hinirago said.
Meanwhile, the ward councilor of Levanai Potape Arako has weighed in on the dispute, claiming that the actions of the other party are illegal.
He further stated that he did not approve or sign any documents related to the land arrangements in question.
