Prime Minister Hon. James Marape said the Government is working on solutions for people at 9 Mile who have been ordered to move out of their residents of settlement after a court order was issued for their eviction, taken by owner of the land, Nambawan Super Limited.

Prime Minister Marape said this afternoon he has sat with Deputy Prime Minister and Lands Minister Hon. John Rosso, National Capital District Governor Hon. Powes Parkop, and Member for North-East Hon. John Kaupa and discussed ways to address this issue.

He said the Government is looking two main options, whether to fence off that land and develop it in line with the NCDC’s settlement-to-suburb upgrade program, or look at alternate land to move the affected people to so NSL can move in to develop its land.

PM Marape asked NSL for its understanding as Government seeks to find a permanent solution to the issue.

“Firstly, let me say, I sympathize with our people who have settled on the land at 9 Mile and are being forced out. Many of these people have built good, permanent houses,” said PM Marape.

“I thank all partners and our government agencies led by the DPM Hon. John Rosso for sitting down with us and trying to find an amicable solution for these people, without the devaluing the value of Nambawan Super land.

Prime Minister Marape said it was government policy to unbundle land for Papua New Guineans to build their homes, and apologized for government’s slowness in achieving this policy.