DEPUTY Morobe Governor, Judas Nalau, today blamed former Morobe Governor Luther Wenge's regime for much of the land grabbing faced in Lae.
He says during Wenge's 15 year reign, land grabbing had occurred while he was busy with National and Supreme Court’s dealing with national issues, and that he didn't focus on his province's land being stolen.
It comes after the Former Governor’s call on the new Morobe Lands Board members, not to accept bribes for land allocation.
Deputy Governor Nalau says there is no need for such a reminder, as the new board members are people of integrity, honest and are reputable, upright citizens.
The issue of land-grabbing in the Morobe province has been a recurring issue for several years now.
The problem has also resulted in the province’s main referral hospital, Angau, being unable to use land it assumed it owned, only to find out that there were others in the province who claimed ownership to it.
This latest statement from the Deputy Governor's office will spark further debate into the lands issues in Morobe.