Education never stops for Imbi

IMBI Jeffery Tagune believes that education opens doors to various opportunities in life and is key to a person’s wellbeing.
“The strong desire to learn propelled me to overcome many obstacles to get myself educated, right up to today, so I can continue to contribute to the advancement of our society.”
Imbi is today the Mineral Resources Development Company general manager for the external affairs and sustainable development programme.
He graduated last month with a Master in Business Administration (MBA) degree from the Divine Word University.
“I thank God for His Grace as my life has been blessed.”
One would have thought learning was the furthest thing from the mind of someone who left university 36 years ago.
Not Imbi.
His desire to learn is just as strong today as it was 56 years ago when he first entered a classroom.
He is from Maral village in Ialibu. He is married with five children.
Imbi completed grade six at the Ialibu Admin School in 1970. He could not progress so he returned to the village.
News reached the village that the PNG Bible Church was enrolling children for high school in Pabrabuk, Western Highlands.
He was among the 80 selected to attend PNG Bible Institute in 1977. He completed Grade 10 in 1980 and received a high school diploma.
His good grades and good character ensured he was picked to advance his education in the United States of America in 1981.
He graduated with a Bachelor of Arts in Bible Theology and Communications from Vennard College, Iowa in 1984.
He returned home and joined New Guinea Motors in 1984 as a sales rep. He then spent four years at the National Broadcasting Commission.
In 1989, Imbi joined the American oil company Chevron Niugini to begin a career in the petroleum industry.
“Chevron told me to study the Kutubu project environment plan. I read it over and over again until I understood the entire project.”
He was at the forefront of the company’s negotiations with landowners when their consent was secured for commercial production of oil to begin at Kutubu in 1992.
For 11 years, he was the key figure in Chevron’s involvement with landowners, national and provincial governments.
He is now with the Mineral Resources Development Company which he believes has lifted the bar for landowners to accumulate their wealth.
“Since, 2001, the MRDC group of companies has grown significantly. In the last 10 years under the leadership of managing director Augustine Mano, group assets grew from K800 million to almost K7 billion in value.”
Imbi has been instrumental in setting up banks in Kutubu and Kikori so landowners can access benefits payments through the bank, including cash from the PNG LNG project.
He has a team paying royalty and equity benefits to the clans living along the PNG LNG gas pipeline corridor from Juha in Western, Beneria-Moran in Hela, Kutubu in Southern Highlands, Kikori in Gulf and Kido in Central.
“We built a new rural hospital at Porebada and new classrooms and teachers houses at Boera, Papa, and Lea Lea. We have delivered outboard motors and agriculture equipment to support fishermen and farmers. We are constructing a modern water supply to deliver clean water.”
Imbi believes landowners and the MRDC will become key players in national economic development.
“The kind of businesses they are investing in now, such as the Dirio Power, (will boost) the electricity industry. The growth potential is huge.”
After the MBA, he still plans to further his education.
“I have a long way to go yet. Learning never stops in life.”