Students of the Special Mining Lease at Porgera Mine are petitioning Barrick Niugini Limited over delayed royalty payments.
In a news conference yesterday, the Porgera third Generation Youth Association alleged that Barrick has been illegally keeping the funds, which are purposely for school fees.
They say, students are now affected, with many suspended and more turned away by education institutions.
In accordance with the MOU signed, they believe the funds should be kept in the Porgera SML Landowners Children’s Investment Fund and not elsewhere. The Association heads questioned why Barrick has not released the royalty payments since 2005.
The students want the funds transferred into the Trust account, and for Barrick to provide a financial statement from 2005 to 2016, and specify names of people managing the funds including where these funds are now parked.
Barrick is yet to provide a statement regarding this outburst by SML students of Porgera Mine.
The petition is expected to be presented to the Barrick Management this weekend in Porgera.
Nearly 400 students in the SML area are being affected.
https://youtu.be/JdstZ3OUt_g
