DLPP showcases e-Lands platform at East New Britain cultural festival

The Department of Lands and Physical Planning [DLPP] took its digital transformation drive to the heart of East New Britain last week, rolling out its e-Lands public awareness campaign during the National Warwagira and Mask Festival.

Held from July 9 to 13 at George Brown Secondary School in the Gazelle District, the festival provided a vibrant backdrop for DLPP to engage directly with locals on its flagship online platform, e-Lands, designed to modernize land administration in Papua New Guinea.

Against a backdrop of traditional singsing performances and cultural displays, festival-goers visited the DLPP information booth to learn how to register on the platform, link their properties, and manage land rental payments online. Staff provided live demonstrations and distributed printed guides, ensuring attendees could experience the benefits of the system firsthand.

DLPP Secretary Benjamin Samson said the campaign was about making digital services more accessible to ordinary Papua New Guineans.

“This festival celebrates identity and heritage, and land is central to both,” Samson said.

“e-Lands empowers landowners, property owners and lease holders to manage their land and property with transparency and ease.”

Samson added that the platform allows users to view and pay land rental bills online, update their records, and submit property-related inquiries from anywhere, at any time.

“I urge all leaseholders and members of the public to register an e-Lands account and take ownership of their land records,” he said. “This is how we build trust and accountability in land management.”

The campaign at Warwagira and Mask Festival follows similar outreach at the Haus Ples Expo earlier this month, as part of DLPP’s broader national awareness strategy. More provincial engagements are planned for later this year.