Clan leaders meet to see how best to share Hides benefits

JUGU clan leaders from the Hides Petroleum Development Licence One (PDL 1) in Hela have organised themselves to make the most of their 12.5 per cent shareholding of Hides PDL 1.
The clan leaders of Tuguba Region of Hides PDL 1, after a recent clan-vetting in Nogoli, camped for a week in Jiwaka and elected clan and sub-clan executives and passed resolutions on how to use and distribute their cash benefits.
During the closing of the meeting on Sunday, the seven major sub-clans – Tura, Hirua, Naro, Piagota, Lai, Tolaya and Poge – along with five additional regional beneficiary groups – Haroba, Hariga/Yatimali (Hirua,Tura, Piagota), Nogoli, Noma and Tagia – elected Howard Lole, a mining engineer, unopposed as overall chairman.
The leadership provided by Lole for the PNG LNG project, representing the eight original clans of the Tuguba region, including Jugu clan, had been acknowledged by many of the leaders.
He is also a signatory to the umbrella benefit-sharing agreement (UBSA), licence-based benefit-sharing agreement (LBBSA) and the recent landowner consent agreement.
Leaders from the Jugu clan then elected the chairmen for the sub-clans and regional beneficiary groups.
They are Howard Lole (Tolaya), Mai Hiyabe (Hirua), Agilo Wakia (Naro), Alex Agiru Malingi (Poge), David Hai (Tura), John Andane (Lai), Maraki Otoma (Piagota), Noah Tamita Napali (Nogoli), Peter Bari (Noma), Andaja Pariagu (Tagia), Dara Aralu (Haroba), and Aluya Ketalu (Hariga/Yatimali).
The election of the officials were witnessed by Koroba-Lake Kopiago electorate chief executive Johnson Tiki and Mt Hagen national and supreme court registrar Kadai Maino.
Tiki thanked the Jugu clan leaders for the timely meeting and urged the leaders to work together for the mutual benefit of all clan members.
Lole said the chairmen for the 12 beneficiary groups would meet after the clan-vetting exercise and agree on a formula for the distribution of the benefits.