K1billion spent on projects

**The soon to be completed K500,000 community resource centre funded by ExxonMobil at Papa village built by local landowner company Laba Holdings Ltd.**

PNG Rugby Football League high performance manager Michael Marum at Papa village during the Hiri West Rugby League coaching clinic initiated by ExxonMobil PNG Ltd last Friday. – Nationalpics by PETER ESILA

By PETER ESILA
EXXONMOBIL, the operator of the PNG LNG project, has spent around K1 billion in community development projects for impacted communities in five provinces since 2010, says national content manager Sisi Kini.
Last week, ExxonMobil took the media on a tour of the plant site at Caution Bay, located 20km northwest of Port Moresby on the south coast of Central and impacted communities.

**Lealea Primary School deputy head teacher Joseph Kolowa (left) with teaching staff Wapu Tinaik James who would move into a new house built by ExxonMobil PNG Ltd.**

“This included investments in infrastructure and building communities focused on education, health, women’s empowerment and community livelihood programmes in the five provinces –Hela, Southern Highlands, Gulf, Western and Central,” Kini said.
She said K14 billion was contributed to local businesses and small to medium enterprises and K6 billion invested in landowner companies. One of such local businesses that has grown is the Koke Hanua Lodge at Boera. It has conference rooms with plans to provide accommodation.

**Koke Hanua Lodge owner William Kwara in front of his lodge in Boera, Central, during a media tour last Friday. The lodge began at the backdrop of the ExxonMobil PNG LNG project**.

Lodge owner William Kwara said they were proud of the strong partnership with ExxonMobil, PNG LNG Gas Resources Company and Laba Holdings Ltd.
“We are glad that we are partnering well with these organisations and stakeholders that come in and have their meetings and conferences at Koke Hanua, and at the same time helping us to improve our standards and increase our capacity for improvement as well,” Kwara said.
“But Covid-19 has affected our business, like any other small business in the country. I mean we hardly get customers during this year, and even in our meetings and conferences as well, departments and corporate bodies, they haven’t come out this way.”