By Michelle Steven – EMTV News, Port Moresby
Landowners from Gulf Province have written a letter to the Prime Minister demanding him to defer the signing of the agreement for the Gulf (Papua) LNG project until legal requirements are met.
They want the PM to respond by tomorrow before the signing this week Friday. The Aumake Nairu Orumako Incorporated landowner group claim they are the rightful landowners of over 100, 000 hectares of land in Elk Antelope in Kikori Electorate of Gulf Province.
They claim the land boundary within the extraction site is registered in the Incorporated Planning Group which has been approved by the Lands & Physical Planning Department in 17th August 2016.
The groups Managing Director, Andrew Morimai says since 2006 when Inter Oil came into drill the local landowners have not been consulted and involved in any decision making. Morimai says there is no need to rush the signing. Morimai also raised concerns that there are no proper infrastructure and developments in the district yet.
Chairman, Apae Koivi, also raised the same concerns saying they want to be involved in the Papua LNG Project.
