A policy proposal will be submitted soon for cabinet approval to treat all landowners as resource owners.
The department of State owned Enterprises has seenthe need for recognising landowners, irrespective of whtherthey are mineral resource landowners, or just landowners of land on which dams, ports or waterways sit.
Minister Ben Micah told parliament that his department was preparing a policy paper on this to submit to cabinet for approval.
Minister Micah acknowledgedthe fact that Port Moresby and ther towns were on land which was once a gardening and hunting ground for landowners, andthey should be compensated fairly.
He was responding to questions raised bythe governor for Central province, Kila Haoda who wants Eda Ranu to extend its services tothe neighbouring Motuan villages.
He said all chairmen and CEOs of Sate owned enterprises were summoned on Thursday last week for a policy consultation meeting and he also announced that Eda Ranu will now be allowed to extend its services to ther parts ofthe country includingthe Central Province.
He said this is to implementthe government’s policy for all citizens to access good water and sanitation services.
He also promised to send engineers of WaterPNG to Vanimo this week to investigate onthe water and sewerage system of this border town.
He was also responding to questions raised bythe Governor for West Sepik, Amkat Mai onthe water and sewerage system in his provincial capital.
Ruth Rungula, National EMTV News
