Landowners form company to extract mining benefits

CUSTOMARY landowners of Nemghato Copper Mining Exploration in Watut, Bulolo in Morobe, have launched a local logistics company to involve them in the mining operations.
Morobe acting governor Waka Daimon launched Na’ma Logistics Investment Ltd at Menhi village, in Upper Watut, on Wednesday.
The name Na’ma comes from the the  two landowning clans – Natengo and Matawipango. The clans had gone through the local and provincial land courts to claim ownership of the titles.
NLI Ltd board executive Kevin Tiapon said  the purpose was to establish a local company that
embraced all Watut villages, starting with logistics services to the exploration company in the initial stage of operations until the full establishment of the project.
Exploration at Nemghato along the Ekuti Range bordering Watut and Aseki were initially conducted by CRI followed by Triple Plate then Newmont and now Canterbury.
Tiapon said Watut and Kapao LLGs in Menyamya would work together during the exploration process.
“We will also need our local level (Watut) government, Bulolo DDA (district authority) and the Morobe  government to support us,” Tiapon said.
Tiapon handed over the copy of company documents to Daimon and Bulolo DDA representative Tony McHaretz in front of more than 500 people.
Daimon encouraged people to be involved in the spin-off activities that would benefit the majority.