Miner honours its,greatest resource’

By JAMES G KILA
IT IS often mentioned that the greatest resource of an organisation or a company is its employees.
Dedicated, hardworking, driven and self-believing employees in all levels of any business are a vital link in the organisation’s chain of success.
Basamuk refinery operations registered manager – Works, Bill Hill reiterated these statements recently when acknowledging over 30‘outstanding employees’ and all the workers from various departments within the nickel/cobalt mining operations in Madang province particularly those who had strived and endured during the surge of Covid-19 pandemic in 2021.
Hill was addressing the Ramu NiCo Management Limited (RNML) 2022 annual working conference which was attended simultaneously via video conferencing by the senior management teams at Kurumbukari mine, Basamuk refinery plant, Madang operations base and the company’s Beijing office in China.
During that meeting the President of RNML, Dong Gaofeng delivered the company’s annual work report and the Vice President, Meng Deyong announced the ‘outstanding employees of the year 2021’. This was followed by the Chairman Gao Yongxue conveying the key spirits of the MCC Group and the summary speech.
“Covid-19 has had a huge impact on our people across all levels of our business,” Hill stated.
“The human cost cannot be underplayed or ignored, all employees at all levels have been greatly affected and some have paid the ultimate sacrifice whilst in employment of Ramu NiCo during this pandemic,” he said.
“Under the enormous pressures of time away from family and friends, threat of the pandemic close in our thoughts our teams have still found a way for RNML success in 2021,” he added.
Two spokespersons representing awardees from KBK Mine and Basamuk Refinery expressed their heartfelt gratitude to Ramu NiCo (MCC) as a responsible employer which stood by them through thick and thin during the global Covid-19 surge.
Representing KBK Mine awardees, a team leader from the mining division, Samson Kundi, expressed that, it was an honour and a great privilege to stand in front of the senior mine managers to deliver his award speech.
“I only knew how to operate trucks when I started off my career with Ramu NiCo in 2014, but now I am capable of handling different equipment with high skills.
“I am now also confident in organising production safely and having the know-how to manage the teams efficiently.
“These achievements have changed my attitude to work and I am so thankful to Ramu NiCo for providing such a great working platform for us and training us to be real miners with multiple skills,
“I also thank my bosses for supporting and assisting me a lot in work and life. You are the reasons why I am who I am now,” Kundi said.
Kundi also lamented that 2021 was an extraordinary year with the Covid-19 surge in the country and how it was hard to get life and work back to normal as before.
“To ensure our safety and support for our lives Ramu NiCo has overcome several difficulties and organized testing, quarantine procedures with pay and allowing field breaks with stringent Covid-19 safety protocol measures,” he said.
“I greatly admire my Chinese colleagues. Most of them have been working on site for a very long time, sacrificing their time away sadly from their families and loved ones back home thousands of miles away.
“These Chinese workers are still here on site and are still working very hard. They are my heroes. I am so proud being a member of the Ramu NiCo mining team,
“I believe daylight shall penetrate through darkness eventually,” Kundi said.
Zhao Gang from the neutralisation and product area represented the awardees from Basamuk refinery with a colourful speech.
“It is my great honor to speak on behalf of the Basamuk Refinery ‘employees of the year. I feel extremely honoured and proud,” Zhao said
“I’d like to express my heartfelt thanks to the leaders at all levels for their care and pay highest tribute and respects to all colleagues who have stood together through thick and thin and fought side by side.
“Since I joined Ramu Nico in 2010, I have been growing up in my work, improving my skills and gradually becoming a team leader.
“I feel so proud to be a member of this team and wholeheartedly thank this platform for the qualitative improvement of my family’s living standard.
“I know that the development of Ramu NiCo needs everyone’s hard-work and dedication,” Zhao said.
“During the period of Covid-19 surge last year some of the colleagues were ill and I was duty-bound to ask for tasks without hesitation as a team leader to ensure smooth and stable operation of production,” he continued.
“Our team has the courage to bear hardships, never flinch from difficulties and the success achieved is humbly in strengthening the operation and overcoming difficulties,
“We know we still have shortcomings. What we do if not careful enough and what we think if not comprehensive enough can lead to small mistakes which eventually can lead to a big one.
“Therefore, in future work, no matter in which post we are stationed, we should pay attention to every details. Past honours and achievements should not only encourage us, but also spur us on,” he said.
“We will take the past achievements as the starting point of new work and we must discipline ourselves with a higher standard, continue to work hard in the future,” he added.
“Under the leadership of Basamuk refinery management team, all our staff have the confidence to work collectively, constantly explore and innovate, improve the existing technological conditions and economic indicators to a higher level, ensure stable and high yield and to achieve success for RNML” he said.
Zhao concluded by citing part of a poem by China’s founding father Chairman Mao which goes: “The strong pass of the enemy is like a wall of iron, yet with firm strides, we are conquering its summit.”
“It simply means despite whatever we’ve achieved and lost before, we shall step ahead unswervingly just like how we had kicked off at the very beginning,” Zhao explained.

• James Kila works as a supervisor with the public relations section of the corporate office department of Ramu NiCo Management (MCC) Ltd in Madang.