Landowners want govt to hold mining licence until issues sorted

 By JAMES APA GUMUNO

THE Mount Kare Landowner Co in Enga has urged the Government not to extend the Summit Development Co’s exploration licence.

Isap Lape, the chairman of the Apa Youpe Mt Kare Gold Deposit Co, said the bid by the company for exploration licence (EL) 1093 should be held until landowner issues were dealt with and misleading information on the company’s website investigated.

He accused the company of trying to take advantage of illiterate citizens in a very remote area.

Lape said the company had reported that a landowner study had been completed was misleading.

“There was no study conducted and this report is really confusing to me and my people back in the bush,” he said.

He said the Mineral Resource Authority was yet to receive the final report on the landowner registry and social mapping.

“When this is done, the interested companies will apply for the mining licence,” Lape said.

He said foreign investors should not get the mining exploration licence.

“We, the landowners, will get the licence and foreign investors will be joint partners with us to develop the Mt Kare gold deposit,” Lape said.

He also called on the landowner groups in Mt Kare to get the licence instead of selling off their resources to foreigners.