K2 million for landowners

National, Normal
Source:

By ANDREW ALPHONSE in Tari

LANDOWNERS for Angore gas project in Tari, Southern Highlands province, have been given K2 million to pave way for the LBBSA forum there to proceed.
Petroleum and Energy Minister William Duma gave K1 million each, in cheques, to Tari -Pori MP James Marape and Komo-Margarima MP Francis Potape.
Mr Duma also delivered two new police vehicles to Komo and Tari districts.
He said that before the PNG LNG projects comes on stream, it was imperative that law and order was maintained in the Angore Gas Field area.
Mr Duma said the K2 million was part of the K6 million allocated by the Government for law and order programmes in the Angore, Tari and Komo areas as agreed during the umbrella benefit ssharing agreement forum in May at Kokopo.
He said even though the Angore Gas  would  be on stream in 2020, the Government would provide K120 million as business development grant for umbrella landowners.
He said K12 million of this amount will go directly to Angore land owners to help them participate in the LNG Project as of next year.
Mr Duma said the Government had committed K20 million for the development of Angore growth centre as an LNG township for the Angore people.
On the issue of PDL boundary for Angore, Mr Duma said the Government had no power in deciding which areas were included, or omitted.
He said when the petroleum prospective licence (PPL), petroleum retention licence  (PRL) and the petroleum development licence (PDL) were issued by the State to the developer, in these case Exxon-Mobil, only the developer decides the PDL boundary, based on the discovery of oil and gas in the area.
Mr Duma said these after disgruntled landowners forced other landowners from three other blocks from participating in the LBBSA forum on Monday.