Prime Minister Hon. James Marape has emphasised the need for all parties involved in the New Porgera Mine to avoid any further delays in reopening the mine. The call comes in the wake of a ruling today by the Supreme Court against a court order issued last Friday, which had sought to halt the proceedings of the New Porgera Development Forum scheduled to take place in Wabag today.

Following the Supreme Court’s decision, the development forum is proceeding as planned tomorrow on Wabag. The forum aims to pave the way for the earliest possible reopening of the mine and is expected to last for a minimum of two weeks in order to address all pertinent concerns among stakeholders.

Prime Minister Marape welcomed the Supreme Court’s ruling, stating, “The New Porgera Development Forum’s process is a required step to reopen the mine. Reopening the Porgera Mine is a matter of great national significance, and unnecessary delays must be avoided.”

The Prime Minister urged all stakeholders, including landowners and all provincial governments, to heed the call made by Mining Minister Hon. Sir Ano Pala for Section 3 consultations to be started.He acknowledged the existence of various outstanding issues among landowners such as SML, LMP, Riverine, Power plant and Power Pylon, which should be thoroughly discussed during the development forum.

“Under my administration, the government is committed to ensuring a more favorable arrangement in the New Porgera, building upon the insights gained from the past three decades,” Prime Minister Marape affirmed.

Stressing the significance of the forum, Prime Minister Marape stated, “Tomorrow is the first step in a process that will span at least two weeks, allowing for a comprehensive resolution of all pertinent matters.”

The Prime Minister underscored his commitment to addressing both his Tari-Pori seat and national leadership responsibilities in order to resolve all pending matters in Porgera. As a result, he called upon all stakeholders to engage in the development forum proceedings.

“I assure all landowners that the New Porgera Development Forum will serve as a platform to effectively address all concerns,” Prime Minister Marape assured.