Women landowners from mine want to expand business

WOMEN landowners from the coastal pipeline areas of the Ramu Nickle project in Madang plan to open up and expand business activities for themselves.
Coastal Pipeline Women’s Landowner Association chairperson Ruth Kamai said they wanted to follow women groups in other mining and petroleum areas who now operated their own businesses.
“We have bought a truck from the K262,000 royalty paid in 2019 by Ramu NiCo,” she said.
“The truck is currently engaged in business operations and is generating income.
“We have sufficient money in the bank account from the royalty paid and are looking at expanding our business operations, both within the Ramu NiCo project impact area and outside.”
Kamai said the priority business areas they were looking into were transport, poultry, cocoa and small to medium enterprises.
“We are very thankful to the National Development Bank for the continuous support and assistance,” she said.
“We are looking for joint venture partners now, to share resources and ideas so together we can benefit.”
Bugati women’s representative Sarah Silandu stressed the need for financial literacy training for the women group so that they could open bank accounts, learn to save and budget money.
The association represented more than 5,000 women from Siroi, Marika and Bugati in the Astrolabe Bay local level government.
According to project operator Ramu Nico Management (MCC) Ltd, the women held their annual general meeting on Saturday at Lalok village in Raicost.
Financial reports on royalties received from MCC were tabled also.
MCC’s community affairs deputy general manager Albert Tobe urged the women executives to be transparent and prudent managers.