Ramu NiCo Management (MCC) Ltd recognises that the cornerstone of the Project’s legacy will be in maximising local employment.
Therefore as part of this legacy, it continues to recruit locals from its impacted areas in Usino-Bundi and Rai Coast district in Madang Province to work and fulfill the employment requirements and the company’s human resource (HR) policies.
One of those fortunate local employees is 32-year old Woe Bagag from Buff village near Basamuk in Rai Coast district.
Bagag completed grade 12 through a Distance Education Mode in Madang in 2011. Unfortunately, he could not continue and returned home somewhat thinking that the future would be a bleak one.
The father of two says while in the village, doing the normal day to day activities he was introduced to Ramu NiCo Basamuk refinery by some friends which inspired him to apply to for a job there.
“I was quite nervous but also very excited when I first entered the gate into the Basamuk Refinery.
In fact, I never knew what the future hold for me and what I would be doing in a laboratory,” he said.
Interestingly, his application was successful. He was overjoyed when he went through all HR formalities then eventually recruited as a laboratory assistant in 2012.
After introduction and continuous hands-on training at the laboratory everyday with experienced lab analyst and graduate chemist, Bagag began to catch up and had also picked up many new ideas.
Currently his normal every day routine work is to collect samples at every = plants for chemical testing and to make analysis of the elements found and before moving it along the process of analysis.
The thirty- two year old said the first time was a trial and error moments but as year goes by he become so expert in it knowing and wishing for only one thing to full his dream.
He said in the last four years Ramu NiCo has provided him with employment that had helped him to sustain his everyday living by providing food on the table for his family.
Despite, dropping out of grade 12 Bagag said working in the Laboratory has become part of his ambition in knowing various scientific terms, the various ratio of mixing acids and other laboratory duties.
He thanked Ramu NiCo for trusting the locals and continue recruiting and providing on-site training. This is despite many complains about people not qualified to work in the mine.
“Ramu NiCo has seen the need for us locals; they are not only providing fish for us but teaching us to catch fish in the future,”
“The company is offering us employment that other mining companies have not provided to the locals but bring in experts and skill full people from outside,”
“The best thing is the Chinese and the national experts in the laboratory respect our education background and always offer us skills, knowledge and teach us many things that help us to become expert like them,” he said.
Bagag only wish is to continue his education in the field he loves doing and has high hopes that one day Ramu NiCo would send him to study chemistry.
Picture: Woe Bagag a trainee Lab Assistant at Ramu Nico’s Basamuk refinery, and grateful for the opportunity.