Abel offers help for Frieda mine

By CLIFFORD FAIPARIK
Deputy Prime Minister Charles Abel says he is keen to see the development of Frieda mine in West Sepik kicking off quickly to boost the national economy.
Abel, who is also the Treasurer, said this yesterday when receiving the West Sepik provincial budget of about K179 million from Governor Tony Wowou at Treasury Building in Port Moresby.
Abel said that Freida mine and the Bewani Oil Palm project needed to commence as soon as possible to create development for the province.
“We have to discuss ways to overcome challenges to get the Freida mine project off the ground. We also have to discuss logging projects and oil palm to support your development budget,” Abel told the governor. “I want to support your government to deliver one or two projects and one of them is the Frieda River project. Let’s continue to work together and see how we get it across the line in a couple of years.
“There are challenges to get it off the ground, in terms of wharf, power generation, tailing disposal.
“We have to engage with our people with lessons that we had learnt from similar past projects so that this mine leaves a good impact project for us like generating revenue to the Government, providing employment, generating economic spin-offs in terms of infrastructure developments to generate maximum benefit for our people.”
Meanwhile, Governor Wowou reminded the Government of its commitment to allocate much-needed additional funds outside from the provincial budget for various infrastructure projects.
“These commitments include the K15 million for the Vanimo town water supply through the Asian Development Bank, K40 million for the Wewak-Wutung road, K5 million for a feasibility study on the Vanimo wharf, K3 million for the Aitape wharf, K1 million for Sandaun Technical College and K7 million for the Tabubil-Teleformin road.”