Company assists clans in Hela open bank accounts

PNGLNG Petroleum development Licence area seven (PDL7) landowners in Hides, Hela, have started opening clan bank accounts as of yesterday.
According to a statement from the Mineral Resources Development Company (MRDC), it was a long awaited process which was marred by constant court orders and landowners issues.
An MRDC team, led by external affairs general manager Imbi Tagune, were in Hides this week with the support from the Department of Petroleum, Bank South Pacific, Kina Bank, police and military personnel for the exercise.
The exercise will see 279 bank accounts opened, allowing PDL7 landowners to finally receive their benefits from the PNGLNG project, six years since the first LNG shipment in 2014.
Today will see the Keteranda Parepare and Timala Kangulu regions open accounts.
A total of 111 accounts will be opened for the two regions. The team will go to Tawanda Tokaju, Tuguba, middle regions and conclude the exercise with an election of directors programme to get landowner directors representing PDL7 to the board of their trust company, Gas Resources Hides Ltd.