Landowners want assistance to develop resources

By JUNIOR UKAHA
SOMBORE oil and gas project landowners in Kabwum, Morobe, are calling on the provincial and national governments to assist them develop their resources.
The group presented a letter to Morobe Governor Kelly Naru two weeks ago, when he went to Satwag station in the Komba LLG of Kabwum to launch a number of government projects.
The landowners, through their group Wemamsam Resources Owners Association Inc, said the project has the potential to change the business landscape of Morobe and Kabwum.
Chairman Martin Fenzong said an oil seepage at Sombere village was discovered in 2004 and so far, the landowners have spent K187,000 to develop the resource.
Fenzong said the LLG and district have initially assisted them with some funding but more work needed to be done including identifying a developer to develop the project.
Fenzong said the oil samples they sent to the University of Technology and the Petroleum and Energy Department in Port Moresby to test have confirmed that it was crude oil.
He said 12 clans would benefit from this project and the spin-off effect will be phenomenal in Morobe and Kabwum.
“The Morobe government has already endorsed this project in 2009, however, no funds were made available to develop this oil and gas project,” Fenzong said.
“We ask for government assistance to realise the potential of this project,” he said.
Fenzong said they were looking forward to working with the National Government to get this project off the ground at the earliest possible date.