Pay us K5mil: LOs

URAMAT and Malie clans from six wards in East New Britain last Wednesday shut down the main Warangoi hydro facility and dam sites in Pomio’s Sinivit local level government (LLG).
The six wards are Rieit-Dadul, Arabam, Maranagi, Rigel and Sunam in Sinivit LLG and Gaulim in the Inland Baining LLG.
Warangoi Landowners Association chairman Michael Ngaipka said the hydro facility and dam would remain closed until the Government and PNG Power Ltd made a K5 million one-off payment.
Ngaipka said the landowners told the East New Britain administration, in a meeting, that they had waited far too long for the two organisations to make at least one payment.
“We understand that the land belongs to the State, but the river that supplies the dam is not owned by the Sate,” he said.
“Landowners own the water.
“The hydro facility has been operating for more than 38 years, but as the host wards, we received nothing from PNG Power and the Government.
“PNG Power is making a lot of money from it, but it still refuses to honour landowners’ demands.”
Ngaipka said the Warangoi hydro facility supplied electricity to Kokopo, Warangoi Town, Kerevat and Rabaul.
“We are calling on the PNG Power managing director to come to Kokopo for the signing of the memorandum of agreement,” he said.
Meanwhile, the team from the provincial administration and Sinivit LLG will work together on the draft agreement which is expected to be finalised and completed by end of the week.