Protect landowners interest with resource, governor says

The National Business

THE Gulf government will work with landowners to protect their interests in resources in the province, Governor Chris Haiveta says.
Haiveta, in a media conference with landowners of Elk/ Antelope well heads in the Papua LNG project area, said since the gas agreement was signed last year, there had been claims by some people and leaders on the ownership of the land, resources and benefits from the project which was a concern to people. On the claims of ownership of the Papua LNG Elk/Antelope fields and Purari dam land by Eastern Highlands Governor Peter Numu in Parliament last week, Haiveta said the Gulf government would work with leaders as their interests had been captured in the gas agreement.
Chairman of the Pawaya Resource Owners Association Rueben Yobe said the Elk/ Antelope was west of Purari and more than 50km from the border in the Baimuru LLG of the Gulf delta and not in the mountains.
Leaders of 13 clans and 73 recognised incorporated land groups (ILGs) of the Pawaya tribe acknowledged the step taken by Haiveta and the provincial executive council to protect their borders and resources.
Meanwhile, Petroleum and Energy Minister Kerenga Kua, in response to what Numu said in Parliament said beneficiaries of the Papua LNG project were determined by reference to the petroleum development licence (PDL) boundary.
But currently, the Papua LNG project was still a petroleum retention licence (PRL).
Kua said he was waiting for developer Total to submit preliminary report on the social mapping so the Department of Petroleum and Energy would vet it.

One thought on “Protect landowners interest with resource, governor says”

  • Although, Paun LNG is in the Gulf province, we in the plateau of Karimui Simbu province, shares and own jungles with pawayans and we speak same dialogs( pawaya language). We have historical sites in that part of the area concern and mind you, We are not blind but watching every steps you take. For ELK Project, it belongs to people of Wapo and the surrounding villages. But where are these so called 73 ILGs popping up from? If so than Karimui in the Karimui/Nomane should have been included during clan Land vetting processes were on. One Correction; Mr. Ruben Yobe is not the Chairman of Pawaya ILG, he is a Councillor of Uraru LLG in the Baimuru, Gulf Province.

Comments are closed.