LO’s signing snub does not derail Tolukuma restart

The refusal by Tolukuma (Yulai) Landowners Association to sign the revised memorandum of agreement will not affect production preparations of the Tolukuma Mine.

In a media conference following the signing ceremony, Mineral Resources Authority Managing Director, Phillip Samar said the MoA is a completely separate to the commercial agreement between the mine operator as well the state, province, and landowners.

“The commercial operations is permitted under the license that the Government provides which is the mining lease. This MoA has absolutely no connection to that. The MoA is simply a benefits distribution mechanism,” Samar said.

Regarding the signing snub, Samar said he was surprised that the landowners’ chairman, George Guso, refused to sign over claims that outstanding issues had not been factored into the revised MoA.

Samar said an initial draft of the MoA was agreed to by all parties before preparations for the formal signing was done.

However, he said he respected the decision by the landowners not to sign and said the door was always open for them to discuss further on the outstanding claims.

“They have been consulted since day one, no questions about it. You look at the initial document, there is an initial document we all agreed to in 2013,” Samar said.

“I fail to understand why they’re not able to sign, but again we respect the landowner chairman and his executives and his people and I assure the Minister and the Hounourbale Governor and the President of the LLG, the MRA will engage directly with Mr Gusi, and we will discuss the issues.”

He added “We will engage directly with this one party that hasn’t signed. We are not brushing aside any of their issues, everything they have raised is very familiar with me.”

Samar said the MOA has been signed by the majority of signatories and will be effected.

He said any royalty or benefit payments will remain in trust until the landowners agree and sign the MOA.

Author: 
Cedric Patjole