Absence of national lands board administrators raises eyebrows

The vacuum in important administrative positions occupied by the members of the National Lands Board has prompted Central Province Governor Rufina Peter to raise serious concerns over land proceedings in the province.

Ms Peter asked a series of questions to Prime Minister James Marape in the absence of Deputy PM and Lands Minister John Rosso over the vacant leadership role of chairman of the National Land Board [NLB], which has halted land administration processes in Central Province.

The Governor said the Central lands board sworn in last year has performed several significant land matters in the province but is yet to be inducted by the NLB due to the vacant chairman position.

“I am aware that in terms of the National Lands Board Chairman and its members has expired, creating a significant administrative vacuum that is negatively affecting land administration processes across the country, including the operations of the Central Province Lands Board,” Peter said before directing questions to the prime minister in today’s Parliament session.

“Given that all the Provincial Land Board Chairpersons serve as Deputy Chairpersons to the National Lands Board Chairman, the absence of an appointed Chairman at the national level has resulted in delays in processing crucial land matters.

“This has in turn impacted land administration in Central Province, and I believe in other provinces, affecting landowners, businesses, investors, economic activities that are heavily dependent on land tenure security.”

Ms Peter’s series of questions without notice to the Minister for Lands and Fiscal Planning [answered by PM Marape], began with clarity on how soon the Chairman of the National Lands Board would be appointed to restore the proper functioning of the National Lands Board and to ensure that the Provincial Lands Board can effectively carry out their mandates.

The Central Governor asked if there were any interim measures put in place to ensure that the absence of the NLB does not continue to disrupt land administration processes at the Provincial level.

She ended her enquiries by proposing the department to outline their future plans for the Government to consider amending the law to allow Provincial Lands Boards to function independently in such circumstances.

Marape when responding to Peter, assured that the government would put in a capable national lands board to assist the Central board in due course.