Prime Minister James Marape has appealed to impacted areas and beneficiaries of the Wafi-Golpu Gold Project in Morobe to unite in a development forum to put together a Mine Development Contract that embraces all stakeholder input.
He made the appeal when addressing the Wafi-Golpu Stakeholders Project Update Meeting attended by hundreds of people at the Mumeng Lutheran Church Hall.
“The development forum, SML and MDC process is a National Government programme, but under my Pangu-led Government’s policy of involving provincial government, districts, LLGs and council wards, and most importantly all landowners. I have given approval for this development forum process to be open and transparent and must embrace all stakeholder views," PM Marape said.
"I assure Morobe Provincial Government, Morobe leaders and people that this Pangu-led Government is pro-landowner, and we are fighting for more benefits for our people and country so we must all support the project."
He pointed to what the Government secured for, the ‘new Porgera’ as an example for what can be done for landowners and provincial governments.
“Pangu Pati and Government will pass back minimum one-third of all benefits to provincial governments and landowners, just like we did for Porgera and OK Tedi,” he said.
“So work with the present Government to secure your benefit, you do not know what future will be.”
He assured landowners from all impact areas like waste discharge areas including deep sea, all supporting infrastructure areas, LMO and SML areas that their concerns for environment, greater benefits, business spin-offs and others were noted and a proper development forum would affirm their benefits.
PM Marape also told joint-venture partners Harmony and Newcrest to respond to Government positions submitted earlier, pointing to the fact that that the 1991 Mining Act would be used for the Wafi-Golpu project but by 2025.
“The Government is ready to issue SML, if all the negotiations we doing with all local parties are complete, and if there is good response to the State Negotiation Team's position paper already given to both Newcrest and Harmony,” he added.