PNG Mining Minister Muguwa Dilu has called for the Porgera mine’s community development agreement (CDA) to be passed as quickly as possible.
Dilu urged the Hides-Porgera power line landowners of the Porgera project to pass the CDA so they can start receiving immediate benefits, emphasising Porgera was a priority of the PNG Government he aims to ensure goes into full operations immediately.
The meeting with the power-line landowners was the final in a series of pre-CDA meetings, which the PNG Government has been conducting in the last few months, involving all landowners and stakeholders.
The aim of pre-CDA meetings has been to provide the PNG Government’s response to the position papers, create awareness, clarify issues, prepare landowners, and respond to specific pre-dominant agendas presented in position papers submitted by landowners and stakeholders.
The next step will see the CDA proper launched from May 15–30, after which, all parties and other stakeholders will convene to negotiate benefits through the CDA process.
Dilu said all landowner groups were important stakeholders of the project, and that the government would ensure their position papers were considered.
He urged them to cooperate with the state team and quickly find ways forward to addressing their positions on major potential benefit streams available to them such as equity and business development grants.
Enga landowners, the Enga Provincial Government and the state will receive a combined equity share of 51 per cent from Porgera. A three per cent royalty has also been included for landowners, a step up from the previous five per cent.
Porgera mine was officially reopened on December 22 2023, with full operations expected to commence in July.
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