The increasing rural to urban drift has caused a population boom in settlements throughout Port Moresby.

Among many problems that come with an increased population are law and order.

Commander NCD-Central Assistant Commissioner Anthony Wagambie Jnr said ethnic fights at settlements in the nation’s capital are now becoming very common.

He said the disputes within the settlements are caused by urban drift, population growth, misunderstanding of cultural barriers, high rate of illiteracy, unemployment and so forth.

He said these ills of society, can only be addressed through a concerted effort by the government and all other stakeholders.

“For now the Constabulary is dealing with the law and order issues created by all these contributing factors,” Wagambie said.

“I am pleased with the way my men and women are responding to these issues within the settlements but we need the support of the community, our elected leaders and the relevant state agencies.”

The NCD and Central police boss said police effort is commendable but there is a need to address the core issues.

“We need a concerted effort and intervention by the community, the government and all other stakeholders.

“As a nation, we must address, unemployment and housing and we must encourage the communities to put in place workable peace-keeping initiatives inside the communities.

Wagambie describes the current law and order situation as “covering the wound with a big plaster”, adding, “there is a need for proper medication and treatment from the clinic”.

Commander NCD and Central, Assistant Commissioner Anthony Wagambie Jnr said ethnic fights resulting from trivial disputes are becoming common, especially among the settlement communities in the Nation’s Capital, Port Moresby.

The long Independence weekend was no exception with fighting at Tete settlement and Morata.

Police were commended for quickly stepping in at both sites and effectively containing the situation.

There were two deaths reported over the long weekend.

The death of a PMV bus driver and a man from Western Province.

The death of the PMV bus driver caused public transport issues when all PMV operators refused to carry passengers.

“Police and ambulance workers recovered the corpse of a PMV crew who was reportedly chased and killed near the Kone Tigers oval on Independence Day, ” Wagambi said in a statement.

He said the lifeless body of a Western Province man was also found near Vabukori village on the outskirts of Port Moresby city on September 17th.

Both deaths are from separate incidents.

Wagambi said detectives are now investigating these two deaths.

The Police Chief said armed robberies and motor vehicle thefts rarely occur because of the effective policing strategies put in place by the NCD/Central Command.

Therefore the primary focus and attention now are the intermittent fights especially within the settlement communities because of the city’s rapid growth and expansion of new settlements.