More than K100,000 spent on programmes

 RAMU NiCo Ltd has expended more than K100,000 in rolling out agricultural programmes in Madang in the first quarter. 

The operator of the US$2.1 billion (K5.7bn) nickel and cobalt project said agricultural activities were concentrated in the four impacted areas of Ramu NiCo, including Basamuk and Coastal Pipeline in the Rai Coast district, and Inland Pipeline and Kurumbukari (KBK) in the Usino-Bundi district.

Agriculture supervisor with Ramu NiCo’s community affairs Allan Wahwah told stakeholders during the projects’ first quarter memorandum of agreement review recently that a total of K110,500 was spent in agriculture activities.

 “Over 98 per cent of project impacted people depend on agriculture, livestock and fisheries for livelihood sustainability,” he said.

“After 40 years of independence, much of the rural areas of PNG are yet to see any form of economic and social developments in their respective villages, and Ramu Project impacted communities are no exception.”

He added that Basamuk received K15,000, Kurumbukari K53,000, coastal pipeline K17,500 and Inland Pipeline areas K25,000.

Wahwah said these funds were spent either cash or in kind with partnership from other development partners.

“We did not give direct cash to people but from January to March alone, our programmes cost around that much. In some case, we gave cash,” he said.

Ramu NiCo’s agriculture section engages in targeted development agendas including cocoa development activities, rice farming activities, piggeries, chicken farming, fish farming and other socio economic activities.