Manumanu Land Deal
On January 31, 2017 Opposition MP Ben Micah revealed details of a K46.6 million land deal involving the PNG Defence Force and a cabinet minister in the O’Neill-Dion government (Yapumi, PNG Loop, 2017).
The revelations on the floor of the National Parliament triggered a series of events over a two month period, headlined by the National Executive Council’s suspension of the Ministers for Defence and State Enterprises, Dr Fabian Pok and William Duma respectively, and the start of an official investigation by the police and the Ombudsman Commission (EMTV, 2017).
Others who were suspended included the Department of Defence Secretary Vali Asi, Lands and Physical Planning Secretary Luther Sipison, Central Supplies and Tenders Board chair Philip Eludeme, Kumul Consolidated Holdings (KCH) managing director Gary Hersey, Motor Vehicle Insurance Limited (MVIL) managing director Joe Wemin, Lands Title Commissioner Kutt Paonga, Valuer-General Gabriel Michael and the State Solicitor Daniel Rolpagarea.
The investigations were to focus on a portion of land at Manumanu which was allegedly sold for K46 million and the decision by the Department of Defence to purchase three portions of land for K15.4 million, K7.2 million and K9.2 million.
The revelation triggered an outcry by traditional landowners in the Central Province who demanded that a commission of inquiry be set up to investigate the land acquisitions (Naime, PNG Loop, 2017). Close to four months after the announcement of the investigations by the PM and the public is yet to be given a progress report.
The involvement of the Department of Lands and Physical Planning in yet another controversial land acquisition transaction should compel Mr O’Neill (or the incoming government) to consider sacking the current minister and reviewing all decisions made under his tenure in the past five years.
