Acting Prime Minister, Sam Abal’s decision to appoint a Commission of Inquiry into  Special Purpose Agriculture and Business Leases (SABLs) and subsequent suspension of forest clearance permits issued under such leases, has come under scathing attack from vocal Opposition MP, and PNG Party leader, Belden Namah.

Namah also says more stiff opposition is expected from stakeholders throughout Papua New Guinea.

The Special Agricultural and Business Leases (SABLs) over customary land has been the subject of much debate in recent months. On our part, we [Post Courier] have been investigating these land deals, and have done our part by exposing some of those fraudulent activities with the help of the affected landowners, non-government organisations and green groups, who have also been taking up the fight, on behalf of the village people who have lost their rights to their land in these dealings at the government and international levels.


Papua New Guinea's Lands Minister has come out in the media to strongly back the controversial Special Purpose Agriculture and Business Leases which have been heavily criticized by landholders, NGOs, scientists and academics in PNG and overseas.

The leases have been described as a huge land grab, but the Minister apparently sees nothing wrong.

In a conference last Wednesday, the Lands Department vowed to take action on land deals in Papua New Guinea - deals in which control of more than 5 million hectares of land, 10% of PNGs land mass, has been taken away from local people and given to corporations.

While Acting Lands Secretary, Romilly Kila Pat, might have been personally sincere in his call to address the issues, he also said it was going to be a “long process”.