Officials to meet with landowners

By GYNNIE KERO
GOVERNMENT officials are expected to meet with landowners and stakeholders of the Wafi-Golpu project in Lae tomorrow to update them on the progress on the project, according to the Mineral Resource Authority (MRA).
Managing director Jerry Garry yesterday said the meeting was to give everyone a “heads up on where we are with things”.
He told The National that the meeting would be attended by officials from the Conservation and Environment Protection Authority (Cepa), Commerce and Industry Department, Labour, MRA and the State negotiating team.
“We will give them a technical update on the project as well as where all the state activities are in relation to the permitting process,” he said.
“We will also lay out our anticipated timetable for the SML (Special Mining Lease) permit (process).
“The granting of the permit will depend on many of the processes. It depends on the Cepa processes which take longer than others. It could be October at the least before issuing the SML.
“Wafi Golpu is a mega project. The total capex (capital expenditure) is around US$5.5 billion (K19bil).”
Last month, Morobe Governor Ginson Saonu withdrew legal proceedings against the state in relation to the copper-gold project.