Pipeline landowners elect representative director to board

PIPELINE Landowners in Gulf elected their representative director to the board of the trustee company, Gas Resources PNG LNG Pipeline Ltd last Wednesday.
Wauro Oumabe from Omati tribe was elected through an election process conducted by the Electoral Commission and facilitated by Mineral Resource Development Company.
MRDC said in a statement that the election process came after completing a successful two weeks of awareness and bank account opening in Kikori for pipeline Segment 7 landowners.
The 36 clan heads from the five major tribes nominated four candidates from their 36 clans last Monday.
On Wednesday, they elected Oumabe, who received a total of 21 votes out of 36.
MRDC managing director Augustine Mano congratulated Oumabe on his election to the board and thanked the 36 clan heads for a successful election process.
“You 36 clan chairmen represent your people,” he said.
“Through this outcome, your people have chosen this leader who will represent them at the board level.
“I encourage him to represent his people and their needs well.
“I hope to see that he is able to make an impact in their lives as he holds this position for the next four years.
“The rest of the board and look forward to officially welcoming the new director and working with him to deliver the rightful benefits from the gas project to Segment 7.”
Oumabe thanked MRDC, Department of Petroleum and Energy and Electoral commission for being with the community to make the election successful, open and transparent.
He also thanked clan heads and assured them he would work with them to make sure Segment 7 benefits flowed. The five major tribes in Segment 7 are Omati, Kerewo, Kibiri, Kopi and Barikewa.
Oumabe now waits as director-elect to be joined by three others representing segments 6 -1 who will go through the same process in coming weeks.
The board of Gas Resources PNGLNG Pipeline Ltd is made up provincial governors of Gulf, Southern Highlands, Hela and Central, MRDC managing-director, Department of Petroleum and Energy secretary and four landowner directors from the segments.