Porgera Landowner Association appoints execs

THE Mineral Resources Authority (MRA) says four executives of the Porgera Landowner Association (PLOA) have been appointed in Mt Hagen, Western Highlands, on Tuesday.
Managing director Jerry Garry when contacted said the court would officially declare these executives and not MRA.
Prior to the election, the State team conducted a validation exercise of the 25 clans from the special mining lease (SML) areas in Porgera.
The clan agents then appointed the executives for the landowner association.
This week, Prime Minister James Marape said his Government anticipated the Porgera gold mine to restart next April.
Miner, Barrick Niugini Ltd had begun work on restarting the gold mine in Enga following its closure last April.
Care and maintenance so far during the mine’s closure has cost the miner K421 million.
It estimated another K1.05 billion would need to be spent to reopen the mine next April.