Ramu NiCo makes ‘overdue’ payment of K5mil

A WOMEN’S group from the Ramu NiCo project area in Madang has received K502,452 in royalty due to them from 2013.
KBK Women Association official Jacklyn Tigavu said the money would be used to fund businesses for women groups to benefit the women from KBK where the mine operated.
“We thank Ramu Nico and MRA for releasing the money.
“We will involve all our women, those with us and against us to benefit from the money and the investment we will do,” Tigayu said.
It includes K255,372.10 for the period Jan 2013 to June 2017, K83,335.11 for July 2017 to Dec 2017 and K163,745 for 2018.
The total is K502,452.21
Community affairs manager Albert Tobe said a decision was made then to allocate 1 per cent of the royalty payment to women, youths and churches.
“Ramu Nico hopes that the KBK women can make good use of the money, invest in profitable activities that can generate money for the women and to get into big businesses.
“There are examples of women associations and groups from other project areas who have ventured into big businesses and we believe Ramu Nico project women can do the same,” Tobe said.
Ramu Nico’s project coordinator from the Mineral Resource Authority (MRA) Carter Oiee said the delay in the payment was due to the court proceedings between different women groups.
Ramu NiCo paid more than K2 million to other Ramu Nico project women association from inland pipeline, coastal pipeline and Basamuk women association
More than K50 million in royalty was also paid to beneficiaries of the project including the Madang provincial government, local level governments in Madang and other stakeholders of the Ramu Nico projects.