The four main villages around the PNGLNG Plant site outside Port Moresby are a step closer to receiving their LNG benefits.
This is made possible with the start of elections of landowner Directors from Rearea, Papa, Porebada and Boera.
The Directors will make up the Board of Gas Resources PNGLNG Plant Limited, which will represent beneficiaries of PNGLNG Projects Petroleum Processing Facility License 2 area in the Central Province.
Rearea village is the first of the four Central Province villages under the PNGLNG Projects Processing Plant Facility License 2 (PPFL2) to elect its representative.
Dikana Igo, is the new Director elect to the board representing 18 beneficiary clans from Rearea. The election process was conducted by the PNG Electoral Commission today.
Augustine Mano, Managing Director of Mineral Resource Development Company, MRDC, said good leadership was important in ensuring MRDC is held accountable in terms of revenue that comes from the gas.
Acting Secretary for the Department of Petroleum and Energy, Kepsey Puiye, said with the leadership structure in place, landowners can now engage with stakeholders in a meaningful way.
The board will comprise of Ex-Officios including MRDC Managing Director, Secretary of the Department of Petroleum & Energy, Finance Secretary and the Governor for Central Province to ensure independence in the functioning of the board.
Mr Mano said after two weeks, the board will elect a chairman and then will sit and decide when the royalties and equities will be paid.
MRDC has successfully completed the clan identification benefit certificates and opened 90 bank accounts to facilitate the royalty and equity payments in December last year.
