NBPOL biggest employer in country: Orell

THE New Britain Palm Oil Ltd (NBPOL) employs more than 24,000 people – the biggest employer in the country, says Ian Orrell, the head of sustainability and quality management.
Orrell told new MPs during their induction programme in Parliament that the industry “contributes greatly to the economy”.
“In 2021, in West New Britain alone, we channel about K600 million into the (province’s) economy, (equating) to about K50 million a month,” he said.
Orrell said it was made up of wages, paying local contractors, smallholders, royalties and rentals, and other products.
“In 2021, we supported directly about 680 SMEs in a range of categories,” he said.
“The payments amounted to K65 million.
“The informal sector is also important in terms of livelihoods.
“We have over 17,000 smallholders that directly are supplies, we do a lot of socio-economic research, when we look at the blocks, about 200,000 people are dependent on palm oil for their livelihoods.”