Ire over Andagali’s removal

 A CALL by Hides landowners for prominent Hela businessman Larry Andagali to be removed from State entity boards has been described as an insult to the people of Hides PDL1.

Chairman of Tuguba Block in Hides PDL1 Howard Lole said Andagali, who is chairman of PNG Power Ltd (PPL) and deputy chairman of National Petroleum Company Papua New Guinea (NPCP), commanded much respect among landowners in the Hides area and Hela.

Lole said the chiefs and leaders of Tuguba block demanded an apology from Hamule Ngiame (JP Karai Block), Wandiago Kau (Tugu Tapira Block) and Dickson Ango (Hapono Block).

“Larry Andagali is the chief of Hiwa Tribe and undisputed overall leader for Hides PDL 1,” Lole said in a statement yesterday.

“Andagali is a no nonsense leader who upholds the truth about landownership and commands respect among the landowners in Hides area of the Hela. 

“He has provided leadership since 1989 when the gas to electricity project commenced. 

“He now continues to be a vital link between the key stakeholders and the affected landowners not only from Hides, but across the entire footprint of the PNG LNG project. 

“We, the chiefs and leaders of the eight clans of Tuguba of PDL 1 demand an apology from the above three persons. 

“We are angered by these unacceptable outbursts by these so-called leaders against a well respected son of Hides and Hela. 

“Andagali is well versed with the landowner politics across Southern Highlands and Hela oil and gas fields. 

“He has been on the frontline in organising landowners for over 20 years now. 

“He carries the corporate memory of ‘who is who’ as far as landownership is concerned. 

“Some individuals do not want this truth to be revealed to key decision makers, especially regarding Hides PDL 1. 

“Therefore, this outburst by these leaders is nothing more than an attempt to shoot down the messenger.

“Andagali by birth right is a landowner leader and chief of the Hiwa Tribe of Hides PDL 1 and no one can take that away from him. 

“He is a well-respected business leader in Papua New Guinea. He does not deserve such an outburst from a few self-serving individuals.

“We, the landowners of Hides PDL 1, appreciate the foresight of the O’Neill Government in appointing Andagali to areas of higher responsibility, including the appointment as chairman of PNG Power and deputy chairman of National Petroleum Company PNG.” 

Lole said the Hiwa Block owned 37 per cent while the Tuguba Block owned 25 per cent of all landowner project benefits from PDL 1. 

He added that the Hiwa and Tuguba blocks were brown fields whose clans had been identified and defined through a lengthy legal process 20 years ago.