By Julie Badui Owa – EMTV News, Lae
The Landowners of Wafi Golpu Mine Project in Morobe has called on Prime Minister, Peter O’Neil, Mining Minister, Johnson Tuke and Morobe Governor Ginson Saonu not to sign the Mining Development Contract.
The landowners said there is no proper mining environmental plan in place for the landowner groups who will be affected by development of the mine.
The landowner said this during a media conference in Lae today(December 11), following the 15th PNG Mining and Petroleum Conference in Sydney last week.
Almost twelve landowner group associations under the Wafi-Golpu Landowner Mine Association of Morobe called on Prime Minister Peter, O’Neil, Mining Minister, Johnson Tuke and the Governor for Morobe Ginson Saonu, not to sign the Mining Development Contract.
The Wafi Golpu project is an underground gold and copper mine. It is located in the Huon Gulf district in Morobe.
It is a sixteen billion kina project and will operate for more than 20 years. The developers of the project are Newcrest and Harmony.
According to the landowners, they were not included in the consultation with the Government, the Developers, and the Mineral Resource Authority or MRA.
A similar incident occurred in July this year (2018) during the mining development forum in Lae, when a landowner group was excluded from participating in the forum.
