By Judith Kasek – EM TV, Port Moresby
Prime Minister, Peter O’Neill has announced that the people of Western Province will now own one third of the Ok Tedi mine.
The National Executive Council gave the approval following consultations between Landowners and the provincial government.
There has been much debate on the ownership of the Ok Tedi mine in the Western Province especially with the takeover of the mine by the government.
The Prime Minister issued a statement today saying that the people of Western province will have 33 percent ownership of the mine.
He says this decision is fair and just and will be of great benefit to the people of Western province following decades of neglect.
A similar statement was also made by O’Neill regarding mining in the Autonomous Region of Bougainville.
He said the people of Bougainville will have 35 per cent ownership of any mining in the future however ABG President, Dr. John Momis disagrees with the statement.
Dr. Momis says the idea of the national government operating mining in Bougainville is completely unacceptable.
O’Neill said the people have suffered for long and the transfer of ownership will go towards improving living standards of the people.
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