Possible mining impact on Sepik river a concern

Business

By DOROTHY MARK
EAST Sepik Governor Allan Bird has warned that the start of the Frieda gold and copper mine on the border with West Sepik will depend on an assurance by the government that the river will not be polluted.
Bird said the people depended on the East Sepik River daily and did not want it polluted by the activities of the Frieda gold and copper mines.
He was responding to the concern raised by Madang provincial mines director John Bivi on the operation of the Wafi gold mine in Morobe, Marengo in Madang and Frieda in East Sepik.
Bivi requested Bird to highlight this problem in parliament if there is debate on the three mines to begin operating quickly.
Bird said he would not comment on Wafi and Marengo but he would see that the people of East Sepik get the maximum benefit from the Frieda mine.
“We don’t  want what happened at OK Tedi to happen to us. So we will be very careful with this one,” Bird said.
Ramu development foundation director Dr Boga Figa asked Bird to assist in any way possible to have a feasibility study carried out to construct a road from  Banu Bridge to Forogo which could link to East Sepik