The new Environment, Conservation and Climate Change Minister, has promised to build new homes for Climate Change and Development Authority (CCDA), and Conservation and Environment Protection Authority (CEPA) officers.
Minister John Kaupa highlighted that one of his top priorities in the 8 months before the 2027 National General Election is to roll out the Housing Scheme for Environment and Conservation Authority before his time is up.
The new homes would be built at the Wildlife Conversation area in Port Moresby city, which has been sitting vacant for decades.
“Urbanising all settlement to settlements to suburb with land titles under the Settlement to Suburb program has been one of my top priorities in my district and in this limited 8 months I want to live behind a legacy where not only CCDA and CEPA officers will benefit from but their families as well and that is the housing scheme."
“I am good at it and will make it happen”.
Kaupa mentioned that over the last decade, Ministers after ministers came and left, groundbreaking ceremony took place but still no development has occurred on the vacant land at Wildlife.
“CCDA AND CEPA should have homes built for them on this empty wildlife land before I go, we will subdivision into this wildlife land a total of 100 homes depending on the size of the land.”
Kaupa added that before the end of next month, his ministry should have and prepare all documents in order, titles, plan and will do an official groundbreaking ceremony, then get investors in put the land on tender for successful bidder to start building.
“I’ll do NEC submission. Ge approval, get it done. I am good at it, I'll make it!”
He further assured all senior staff of CEPA and CCDA who have been struggling to own a house and have been renting in the settlements that their struggles will soon cease, and they will have better roofs over their heads soon.
For 15 donkey years, this land at Wildlife has been sitting there untouched and undeveloped and it might continue to sit idle for another 10 years and then it will attract squatters to come squat illegally on it, regarding it as free state land so this land must be developed now says Kaupa.
“If I cannot do it, if CCDA MD Debra Sungi and CEPA MD Jude Tukuliya cannot do it now then who else will?”
Kaupa said he had converse with Prime Minister James Marape regarding the housing scheme already, his talked to NEC already and is waiting NEC approval and then once NEC give approval then work can start for housing scheme.
