Sonk gets oil, gas firm behind Hunters cause

By HENRY MORABANG
STATE-owned oil and gas company Kumul Petroleum Holdings Limited has stepped into sports sponsorship in a big way with a K3 million backing for the Queensland Cup champions the SP PNG Hunters.
The club received the morale booster ahead of their 2018 Intrust Super Cup title defence on Wednesday with KPHL managing director Wapu Sonk saying his company was proud to have its name associated with the iconic Hunters brand.
“PNG Hunters has been a successful rugby league programme and KPHL is happy to be a part of what is becoming to be a professional team, supported by professionals and a capable management team,” Sonk said.
“KPHL’s vision is to create value and opportunities for the people by becoming a major national oil and gas corporation.
“To that end, we see that the opportunity to support PNG Hunters goes a long way to meaningfully expose PNG’s pool of rugby league talent to the rugby league world.
“KPHL is also involved with the Digicel Cup competition through the Hela Wigman club and its feeder club, Souths in the Port Moresby competition through its subsidiary Kroton Limited.
“This commitment reflects the value we place on harnessing and developing talents doing our part for social development as the leading oil and gas company in the country,” Sonk said.
The three-year sponsorship, which represents the company’s single largest sponsorship for a sport, runs from Jan 2018 to Jan 2020 gives KPHL “gold sponsor” status.
The first payment of K1 million was made earlier this week with subsequent payments of K1 million over the next two seasons.
Hunters coach Michael Marum joined PNGRFL chairman Sandis Tsaka to thank Sonk and KPHL for their support.
Marum said the sponsorship would help the club prepare well and he was confident they could deliver for sponsors and fans back-to-back titles in 2018.