Duma pleased with OTML workers and management

By NATHAN WOTI
STATE Enterprises Minister William Duma says Papua New Guineans have the capability and capacity to perform anywhere in the world and be leaders in their respective fields.
He said this during the presentation of the Special Mining Lease 1 extension licence for Ok Tedi Mining Limited yesterday in Port Moresby.
Duma said when he first entered the mine site as minister in 2022, he saw a rundown facility and a tired workforce.
“There was a lot that needed to be done, and when we appointed Kedi Ilimbit, a Papua New Guinean as managing director and CEO of the mine, I saw transformation taking place,” he said.
“Today, as we speak, Ok Tedi is one of the top performing State-owned enterprises in the country and its progress in the last few years can be seen through the type of leadership in the management.

“As ministers of government, our mandate will come and go every five years, but it is very important that we keep those top performing bureaucrats so that the country can continue to benefit through them,” Duma said.
He added that OK Tedi had contributed about K13 billion in social benefits to the impacted communities throughout its life and was the only source of revenue that sustained the entire province economically.
Duma also mentioned that the mining company had paid a total of about K13 billion in dividends to the State, K2 billion in royalties, K515 million to the Tax Credit Scheme (1997 – 2022), K972 million for the CMCA Payments (2001-2021), K10.2 billion in taxes and duties, and about K1.5 billion in compensation.
Furthermore, OTML is 100 per cent owned by the State through Kumul Minerals Holdings Limited (67 per cent) and Mineral Resource Development Company Ltd (33 per cent).
Since the start of mining operations in 1984, OTML has produced over 5.17 million tonnes of copper, 15.9 million ounces of gold, 36.4 million ounces of silver.
As at 2022, OTML has contributed 3.6 per cent of the country’s gross domestic product.