Tolukuma Mining plan MoA review underway

THE Tolukuma Mining project’s revised memorandum of agreement (MoA) will be reviewed this week on Loloata Island Resort.

Parties to the MoA are the Government, Central provincial government, Woitape local level government, Tolukuma Gold Mines Pty Ltd and Yulai Landowners Association.

All parties’ undertakings under the existing MoA are being reviewed to establish the status of the agreed commitments. 

The parties expected to discuss on how to advance the various commitments under the deal.

The undertakings include royalties, tax credit scheme, infrastructure development and community sustainable development programme among others.

The State team comprised the Treasury Department, State Solicitor’s Office and the Department of Environment and Conservation (DEC). 

The Mineral Resources Authority’s acting Managing Director Philip Samar said on behalf of the State team that the National Government, through the MRA as the lead agency, was committed to seeing that the Tolukuma project MoA and other projects MoAs are reviewed this year.

He said it was in the interest of the government that all parties to all projects’ MoAs achieve a win-win situation for all.

Tolukuma Mine’s Ltd’s Sam Inguba said it was unfortunate that the MoA could not be reviewed earlier due to issues that affected the company. 

Central provincial government’s chairman for Mining Hon Steven John said his government had missed out on benefits from this project in the past due to various reasons.