Hides landowner clan call on Govt to listen to their views

 A HIDES landowner clan in Hela is calling on the Government to listen to their views for the benefit of the gas project in the area.

The Wita clan, through their Wita landowner association led by their chairman David Arago, want the Petroleum and Energy Department to organise a forum for the six well-head landowners to sign an agreement on the ownership of the well-heads.

They urged the state to release their K30 million in outstanding business development grants.

Arago said they were landowners of the Hides gas field and should own block 41 but because of the aerial survey they missed out and were merged as part of other clans.

He said the Wita clan incorporated association would take the lead in signing the agreement with the six clans.

He said Wita land had never benefited from the business development grants and other benefits because they were never recognised as legitimate landowners of the Hides gasfield because they did not participate in the signing of the UBSA in Kokopo.

However, he said their stance not to sign the agreement was clear because that agreement failed to address their concerns. They had wanted the landowners to retain about 50% of the wet gas. 

They also did not understand the agreement and wanted some time to study it.

However since then they have not received their any benefits, they want the government to release the K30 million so they could participate in businesses.