OK Tedi

Mining Minister, Byron Chan, said this during the signing of the revised mining project Memorandum of Understanding (MoA) for Ok Tedi.

Chan, however, said this figure will exceed once Wafi and Frieda come into production in five years’ time.

“I have been working closely with the government team to approve these MOAs that have been completed for existing mines and new mines and for the State’s commitments, amounting to K155 million over the next 5 years under each of the MOAs,” he said.

The productions of these two mining companies were closed in 2015 due to the nationwide drought.

With their recommencement and a recovery in agriculture production and export, following the end of the El Nino drought, as well as increased production at Lihir and Ramu mines, the revenue is slowly increasing.

This, together with lower imports, resulted in the balance of payments recording an overall surplus in 2016, from the deficit in 2015.

The Committee launched the awareness campaign on Oct 7 in Western Province.

The program will start today, Oct 11 with a series of meetings with leaders, councilors, women leaders and village planning committees before the actual awareness program to the CMCA and Non CMCA areas within the North, Middle and South Fly Region.

Chairman of the Steering Committee and acting North Fly District Administrator Dume Woo said the community awareness program will cover the North, Middle and South Fly regions.

Warren Dutton, a former government minister and MP for North Fly, told Loop PNG and Facebook members that the OTML management might be forced to take “drastic actions’’ to cope with the spillover of El Nino climate change.

Mr Dutton is also the chairman of North Fly Rubber Ltd.

He said that under previous management, the mine was not closed down during such dry periods until it was unavoidable.