Oro civil servants warned over logging project

Northern public servants who were allegedly involved in the approval of a logging project in the Tufi area will be investigated, Governor Gary Juffa says.
Juffa said the provincial government would investigate the role played by public servants without following due process and if found to be criminally liable they would be referred to police to be charged.
“I am in contact with landowners who have all demanded action and we are taking that action now,” he said.
“The companies have been given notices to stop logging and trespassing or face the consequences.”
Juffa has reported the matter to Conservation and Environment Protection Authority (Cepa) and the Minister for Forestry Douglas Tomuriesa.
Tomuriesa directed the PNG Forest Authority to put on hold logging activities in Tufi district and told Parliament that proper processes were not followed in the approval on the logging projects.
He said the PNG Forest Authority has been told by Cepa, Department of Agriculture, Department of Lands and Physical Planning that the approvals were never given.
He said provincial administrators were provincial forest chairmen who approved projects in their provinces.
Ijivitari MP Richard Masere said it was entirely within Tomuriesa’s powers to make a decision in the best interest of the legitimate landowners, the people of Collingwood Bay area and the Government.