BY CYRIL GARE
The National Housing Corporation (NHC) is investing millions of kina in a “major facelift and renovation” drive that will see all of its prime but dilapidated residential properties in Port Moresby fixed progressively - commencing this week.
This is in line with the Marape-Eoe Government’s and Ministry of Housing and Urbanization priorities in providing affordable and decent housing for public servants and PNG citizens nationwide.
Some of these properties located in NCD to undergo renovation include 3 mile Red Cross flats, 5 mile flats, Angau Drive flats, Korobosea flats, NBC flats East Boroko, 4 mile hostel adjacent to old PIH, Hohola new generation hostel, Dorido hostel at June Valley, Saraga flats, among others.
First up will be the four (4) allotments comprising 16 units at Manu Autoport. Work began today – Nov 22, 2021 at allotment 3 and its four units as workmen (contractors) took down badly rotten walls, louvers, fly wires, window frames and interior structures of the building which “haven’t had such a renovation for over 30 or 40 years”, said Mr. Martin Tau – NHC’s Executive Director - Corporate Service and Administration.
Tau was among a NHC’s witnessing team to the renovation site comprising Mr. Lucas Nilkare – Executive Office to the Office of NHC Managing Director Henry Mokono, Ms. Delly Raepom, General Manager - Technical Services, Mr. Bugave Gabina, General Manager - Properties, Mr. Bonny Bonsella, acting General Manager - Human Resources, senior NHC staffers, and NHC media.
For Mr. Gabina who clocked 32 years with the NHC: “I’ve never seen such a major renovation on our properties like this before. It’s a very good sign, a very positive approach by NHC under the new management of Henry Mokono” and the results-driven portfolio Minister, Justin Tkatchenko.
Ms. Raepom thanked the tenants for cooperating with the NHC officers by vacating the property to allow maintenance work to begin smoothly, adding “we’re looking forward to seeing the new flats in five months times…” a new environment that is befitting and conducive to human inhabitation.
On Nov 3, 2021, NHC managing director, Mr. Henry Mokono visited the Manu Autoports tenants and their families and announced the K4 million facelift plan and sought their cooperation to vacate the property and allow maintenance work to begin.
Tenants cooperated. One Mr. Leo Nitchim described Mokono as “a man with the heart for the people”.
“Over the years, it’s very hard to go to the managing director’s office. But now the managing director’s office is on the street here, he is here to see us. You have the people in your heart that’s why you are here to see us. These are kind of people we need in Government offices so that the people will receive justice.
“We are talking about justice, equality its embedded in the Constitution. They’re not delivering. We have governments after governments. We have statutory heads. Have they delivered? No. That’s why we are always branded as a corrupt country,” Nitchim said.
For the tenants, it was unbelievable for an organisation such as the NHC that is riddened with corruption, abuse and mismanagement to put down such an amount of money for renovation and refurbishment works – NHC hasn’t been able to do such in years.
Since his appointment by Cabinet in August and later official signing of his four-year term employment contract at the Government House on October 26, 2021, Mr. Mokono vows to clean up the NHC and instil a new corporate image to the organisation through accountability, transparency and good governance.
Mr. Mokono’s major tasks is to;
• Create a new staff structure to see down-sizing of NHC work force from 380 to 218 and saving government of K6 million in wages annually;
• Deliver the stalled Durand Farm Housing project;
• Renovation of the NHC Tokarara headquarters which government has already allocated K10 million for this purpose;
• Cleansing and prosecution of those engaged in corruption and the mess in the NHC; and
• restoring public confidence in the organisation.
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