Photo Credit: Wafi Golpu Joint Venture
Prime Minister James Marape of Papua New Guinea has charged the mining ministry, the Mineral Resources Authority (MRA), and the State Negotiating Team (SNT) with resolving the Wafi-Golpu project's delay by December.
Marape was asked by landowner organisations to speed up the processes and resolve concerns that are delaying the project at a forum hosted by the mining ministry in Mumeng, Bulolo.
In September, October, and November, Marape stated, the processes of engaging with landowners, provincial governments, and districts must be completed correctly.
“If we can complete the agreements before the end of this year, it is not hard for us,” he said.
“When you all agree, the Government can go ahead and give the developer the special mining lease (SML).
“We will get the position papers of the landowners, the province, and all stakeholders.
“We will look at them and what we can get through negotiations with our investors and we will do our utmost best to take what we can get in our discussion with the company.
“Royalty demand, equity demand, business spin-off demands, environmental damage demands, land rate demands, all these are entitled to you and our job as the government is to talk with the investors for all your benefits and bring them to you.”
Marape expects that by December, “we should have a conclusion and then we can give the okay to the company to start the mine (project)”.
“We will work with the investor to get the headline agreements as soon as possible and we will go through the issues through the forums,” he said.
Reference: Pacific Mining Watch (6 September 2021). “PNG Prime Minister Marape wants Wafi-Golpu mine project started”.
