Morobe students carry out awareness programmes

Education

Morobe tertiary students have used their holiday to carry out social and livelihood awareness at villages near the Wafi-Golpu mine.
Eighteen members of Morobe Tertiary Students Union (MTSU) carried out awareness on benefits and associated issues of mining at villages along mine impact areas, and ore landowner villages of Yanta, Hengambu and Babuaf last weekend.
Student leader Jonathan Mambere said the students took the initiative to help villagers to understand benefits and issues related to mining.
University of PNG MTSU president Jesse Roneka called on all leaders of landowner tribes to see the importance of representing people who were living in poverty.
“Leaders must have the heart to stand up for their people,” he said.
“Think about people of PNG, especially Morobe, rather than letting Western influence control them.
“I am appealing to landowner group presidents to stand together.
“Represent the people without fear or favour and perform their respective duties.”
The students educated landowner and mining impact villages of Timini in Bulolo, and Mare and Gabsongkeg in Wampar, Huon Gulf, on contents of the memorandum-of-understanding signed between Government and developers Newcrest Ltd and Harmony Gold Ltd last month.
Yanta incorporated land group chairman Bing Sombe said the students’ awareness was informative and they were happy with the initiative.