LLG wants to be party to new deal

THE Porgera local level government (LLG) in Enga wants to be a party to the new mine agreement, president Leo Kuala says.
Kuala urged the State to include the third-tier government as a party to the Porgera mine lease agreement re-negotiation.
He claimed that the only parties who benefited from the Porgera gold mine were the landowners, the Enga government and the national government.
“We are calling on the State to include the Porgera LLG which looks after 40,000-plus people,” Kuala said.
He said the absence of the LLGs in the host district of the Porgera gold mine has directly put their performance in disarray.
“Issues like social disorder, environmental issues, women’s issues, illegal mining, youth rehabilitation and empowerments, long-term economic development plan, mine closure and sustainable plan, etc has lacked as a consequence of the third-level governments not becoming party to any agreement in 1989.
“For over three decades of Porgera gold mine operations, the third level of government in the rural majorities has become a spectator due to omission as a party in the original agreements for reasons unknown. I want the LLGs to be included,” Kuala said.