Concerns have been raised over the awarding of a multimillion-dollar Immigration Department contract associated with the Manus Island refugee resettlement agreement to a company part-owned by a Papua New Guinea government minister.

The Immigration Department's $7.8 million contract to build housing on Manus Island in association with the refugee resettlement agreement was awarded to PNG-based company Hornibrook NGI Ltd, which boasts PNGMinister for Works Francis Awesa as a co-director and a significant shareholder, according to official tender records and company records.

The award of the contract to a company with political connections has the potential to raise conflict of interests concerns in the tiny country, which has been regularly plagued by rampant corruption involving politicians receiving major government contracts.

Anti-corruption researcher and academic Kristian Lasslet this week uncovered the link when he obtained PNG company records listing Mr Awesa as the current director and a shareholder of Hornibrook NGI Ltd.

Doctor Lasslet who is a senior lecturer in criminology at Ulster University said the connection could be explosive in a country like PNG.