Address issues with land groups

The National Letters

THE ongoing mismanagement of incorporated land groups’ (ILGs) benefits under Gobe project has been a concern for many years.
The problem is ongoing because State bodies such as Department of Petroleum and Energy and Mineral Resource Development Company (MRDC) have failed to support landowners and ILGs manage and invest incomes to promote and generate sustainable benefits in the long run.
With the absence of social responsibility by the Department of Petroleum and Engergy and MRDC, landowners have added more problems.
The issue of mismanagement is serious as 75 per cent of the ILG executives mandated by the people are not educated and semi-educated while some educated lack leadership qualities.
The ILG election conducted in 2004 in the community by the PNG Electoral Commission is now 16 years with no positive impacts.
The ongoing scenario has led to complete lack of transparency, accountability and good governance in the distribution of ILG benefits.
Some major problems experienced by ILGs under Gobe project area include;

  • LACK of visionary leadership amongst ILG executives for proper use of financial benefits;
  • INCREASED liabilities through credits by members and ILG executives;
  • DISAGREEMENTS and differences among member and executives;
  • LACK of consultations resulting is differences, physical confrontation and attacks; and,
  • COURT injunctions to stop payments due to unsolved issues.

The latest partial payout to Gobe landowners late this year is a testimony where a number of ILG executives were referred to police regarding the use of ILG benefits and payments.
I call on the Department of Petroleum and Energy and MRDC to address the discrepancies in ILGs.
As stakeholders, we expect the department and MRDC to act now as the trend hinders positive change in the various communities.
The following should be pursued by the Department of Petroleum and Energy and MRDC to:

  • CALL for ILG election in 2021 as the current ILG executives’ terms have expired;
  • CARRY out awareness on the effective use of funds received for sustainable benefits; and,
  • PROVIDE basic skills in leadership and business development and planning.

With the Government’s intention to increase financial benefits for resource owners, responsible agencies need to review and strengthen ILG operation to effectively use funds received for future benefits.
Without such support, landowners will continue to live with the issues, remain poor and die despite being resource owners.

Nanono Hali
Boroko