Injured man claims firm ignoring plea

 By JEFFREY ELAPA

A MAN who claims to have been run over five years ago by a truck owned by Oil Search Ltd says the company is ignoring his plea for help.

The accident happened in 2008 at Yuni near the Hides gas field in Hela. Andiki Tindipu is from the Arua clan which owns the gas fields. 

His lower body was badly injured when the truck owned by Oil Search Ltd ran over him in 2008. He has since been using a tube to urinate.

He said had been suffering and could not live a normal life, or have children.

He claimed that he was walking out of his home when he was hit by the company vehicle, the rear wheels injuring his lower body. He said he was admitted at Tari hospital for five months.

He said after the operation a tube was connected to allow him to urinate. It is affixed to his side.

He said from Tari he was sent to Port Moresby General Hospital for further review and continued to go for reviews every fortnight which was expensive for him.

Tindipu said he had been seeking some form of compensation from the company. He said every time he enquired, he was told to go to the Hides office which referred him back to the Port Moresby office.

However, Oil Search Ltd yesterday denied his claims, saying Tindipu was at the time found to be under the influence of alcohol and jumped onto the moving vehicle.