The Mineral Resources Authority (MRA) is committing K700 million ($2.6 million) in infrastructure development funding to help resettle Porgera landowners.
MRA managing director Jerry Garry assured the Porgera mining project special mining lease (SML) landowners that the resettlement of their villages away from the project mine area is a government priority.
While New Porgera Limited is currently putting together a resettlement action plan, Garry said that the MRA and the Department of Lands and Physical Planning have started consultations with the Enga Provincial Government and the Porgera District Administration to identify possible resettlement sites.
“We won’t waste time,” Garry said. “As soon as the CDA process is completed, the state [will] continue consultations with the stakeholders and progress the state’s part in the resettlement exercise which is to make land available.”
Garry was speaking at a meeting about the Porgera community development agreement (CDA) in Port Moresby this week, where the parties are negotiating the CDA.
The parties to the CDA are the SML landowners, Porgera Rural Local Level Government, Porgera Urban Local Level Government, Enga Provincial Government, New Porgera Limited and the National Government.
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