Deputy Prime Minister and Minister for Lands, Physical Planning, and Urbanisation John Rosso, has acknowledged that Papua New Guinea’s Incorporated Land Group (ILG) registration process remains lengthy and unmanageable, assuring Parliament that reforms are being developed to improve accessibility and reduce abuse within the system.
The issue was raised in Parliament this week by Talasea MP Freddie Kumai, who highlighted concerns from customary landowners about delays, high costs, and administrative challenges associated with registering ILGs.
Kumai said the registration process often involves extensive community mobilization, preparation of family genealogies, verification of birth certificates through the National Identification (NID) system, and the submission of applications to the Registrar of ILGs.
He noted that many applicants are required to make repeated trips to Port Moresby to resolve administrative issues, creating significant financial burdens for rural communities.
The Talasea MP questioned why many ILG applications continue to take more than 12 months before registration certificates are issued and sought information on the number of applications currently awaiting processing.
He also asked whether the government plans to decentralize ILG registration services to provincial lands offices and establish an integrated digital system linking the Department of Lands, the National Identification system and other relevant agencies to streamline the process.
Responding on behalf of the government, Rosso agreed that the current ILG registration process is overly complex and requires reform.
“I agree it is a very long, cumbersome process,” Rosso told Parliament.
He said the Department of Lands is currently working on legislative amendments aimed at making the registration process easier and more accessible for customary landowners.
Rosso also raised concerns about the misuse of the existing system, saying loopholes have enabled some individuals to take advantage of customary landowners during land registration and development processes.
“The ILG process that we currently use, although it is meant for a good purpose, has been constantly abused by a lot of learned individuals taking advantage of the system and abusing the rights of many customary landowners.”
According to Rosso, some landowners have been persuaded to sign documents without fully understanding their implications, while others have been sidelined during negotiations involving land development projects.
He said the Department of Lands is consulting with relevant stakeholders and reviewing recommendations from parliamentary committees to identify improvements to the current system.
In addition, he also assured Parliament that the government is committed to either reforming the existing ILG framework or exploring alternative mechanisms that better protect customary landowners while making land registration more efficient.
“Land is very sensitive, and we need to approach it in a way that makes it accessible and easier for our landowners to register, survey and ensure that they benefit from the land that they own.”
The Deputy Prime Minister also invited Kumai to submit his questions in writing to allow the government to provide more detailed responses, including information on application backlogs and ongoing reform measures.
The issue of ILG registration has remained a key concern for customary landowners across the country, particularly as landowners seek greater participation and benefits from agriculture, resource projects and other development activities.
