Hides clan demands funds

National, Normal
Source:

The National, Tuesday June 25th, 2013

 THE State has been given an ultimatum to settle all outstanding memorandums of agreements, ministerial commitments and business development for a landowner group of the Hides PDL 1 in Hela.

The Wita clan that owns six wellheads and is host to the gas to electricity project for the Porgera gold mine, in Enga, said although they were the biggest receiver of the royalties, they had been neglected by the state on MoA funds over the years.

Chairman David Arako said the state had made a commitment of K30 million.

He claimed state agencies had not fulfilled their commitments.

“We are calling on Prime Minister Peter O’Neill and his ministers to release committed funds of K30 million without further delay,” Arako said.

“We are pleased with the government action to release K29.28 million outstanding seed capital to Hides PDL 1 holdings Ltd per the NEC decision 53/2012 and meeting no. 12/2012 a month ago but still the Wita clan missed out. 

“We want the funds committed to be released through their Wita Association Inc .”

The Wita clan members said they planned to protest  if the state continued to ignore their plea because for too long they had been neglected.