Petroleum Minister

Petroleum Minister, Kerenga Kua, said this when responding to Western Province leaders who announced the withdrawal of their support from the P’nyang Project.

Over the weekend, Western Province Governor, Taboi Awi Yoto, and North Fly MP, James Donald, announced they were withdrawing their support from the P’nyang Gas Project negotiations.

They claim the province’s interests were not incorporated into the main frame Term Sheet by the State Negotiating Team (SNT).

Hides landowners have been waiting for over 25 years for their royalties. NCDC Governor Powes Parkop made this point in Parliament yesterday (Nov 26) afternoon when asking the Petroleum Minister, Kerenga Kua, about the progress of the LNG Project.

“Mi been lawyer blo ol landowners involve lo PDL 1-4 back in 1994. And many of these landowners i no kisim royalty blo ol inap i kam now. Because yumi gim excuse olsem i no gat social mapping na second olsem ol landowners i kot. Mi laik askim: What is the status of all these royalties? Social mapping em completed or not?”

Minster Pok said the Bill and the Act review will soon be brought to the National Executive Council for endorsement.

The Petroleum Authority Bill and Oil & Gas Act Review aim to improve business around future oil and gas development projects so PNG can receive the maximum benefit.

One such area the Bill and Act review aims to improve is to ensure social mapping and landowner identification is done.