More praise for O’Neill on move to take over Ok Tedi

 By HENRY MORABANG

RESOURCE owners advocate Simon Ekanda has commended Prime Minister Peter O’Neil for the decision to restructure state-owned enterprises.

He also welcomed the state’s investment in petroleum and mining assets in the country.

O’Neill had told journalists recently that the restructure was a major decision by the national executive council to provide more transparency 

and accountability in the management of investment in mining and 

petroleum assets and the state-owned enterprises.

He said the restructure and consolidation of these enterprises were necessary to remove inefficiency, duplication and overlapping of duties.

Ekanda, who is chairman of the Tuguba tribe of the LNG project in Hides, Hela, said the return of the ownership of mining and petroleum to the people was important.

He urged the prime minister to 

do the same for the Panguna copper mine, and return it to the Bougainvilleans. 

Meanwhile, the Resource Owners Federation chief Jonathan Paraia also commended O’Neill for taking control of the PNG Sustainable Development Program and Ok Tedi mine.