Turubu keen on developing oil palm project

Business

THE Turubu Local Level Government is still keen to see the Turubu oil palm project continue after a court ruled that the land used in the project be returned to the landowners.
LLG President David Kausik, pictured, said they had begun registering the land for the people in the project area.
The Supreme Court recently upheld a lower court’s decision of 2014 which had ruled in favour of Kowiru villagers from Turubu taking back their customary land, which was the subject of a Special Agricultural and Business Lease.
It was found out that the consultation with the landowners before the lease was given did not meet the standard required by the Land Act.
The Sepik Oil Palm Plantation Ltd had sought a judicial review of that court decision but lost.
Kausik said 10,000 hectares of the land had been given back to the resource owners.
“Turubu LLG has adhered to the court decision to implement the NEC decision which removed the SABL 144C,” he said.
“We will work with the Lands Department to fix the ILGs (incorporated land groups) in the 10,000-hectare area.
“But we want the project to stay and continue. The provincial government is behind the Turubu LLG to go into the project impact area and begin the registration of ILGs.”