Prime Minister Hon. James Marape on Friday, August 2, 2024, presented a K50 million Infrastructure Development Grant (IDG) to Wafi-Golpu landowners and the Morobe Provincial Government. He emphasised that this is not “free” money but funds intended for infrastructure projects in the six impacted areas and the province. This grant is part of the Government’s K1.2 billion commitment to IDGs and Business Development Grants (BDGs) for Wafi- Golpu landowners.
The presentation occurred in Lae, where Prime Minister Marape addressed landowners, Morobe Governor, Hon. Luther Wenge, and a gathering of key figures, including Deputy Prime Minister and Lae MP Hon. John Rosso, State Negotiating Team Chairman Mr. Dairi Vele, Mineral Resources Authority Managing Director Mr. Jerry Garry, Kumul Mineral Holdings Chief Executive Officer Mr. Sarimu Kanu, Mineral Policy and Geohazards Management Secretary Mr. Harry Kore, and Morobe Provincial Administration. Mr. Vele and Mr. Garry provided comprehensive updates to the landowners on the progress of the Wafi-Golpu Mine, followed by remarks from Governor Wenge, Prime Minister Marape, landowner representative Mr. John Nema, and Deputy Prime Minister Rosso.
Prime Minister Marape urged Governor Wenge to divide the money fairly between the landowner groups and the Morobe Provincial Government. Governor Wenge announced that K25 million would go to the six landowner groups – Babuaf, Hengambu, Yanta, Wampar, Butibam, and Wagang – while K25 million would be allocated to the Morobe Provincial Government.
“I want all of you to agree on what projects are important to the project areas so that your landowner companies participate,” Prime Minister Marape said.
“These projects are in the mountains (Babuaf, Hengambu, and Yanta), down to the valleys (Wampar), and to the sea (Butibam and Wagang). I want all of you to agree on projects that you want to be funded so that monies can be released. I want the landowner companies to build roads, classrooms, put up power lines to bring in power, and other development.”
Prime Minister Marape noted that the Government is supposed to pay K100 million per year for IDGs and BDGs. However, he acknowledged that not all this money has been disbursed: K34 million was released in 2021, K18 million in 2022, and K80 million in 2023.
“I will get a full report of where all this money has gone to and present it to you, as a matter of transparency, because this is public money,” he said.
“You have an envelope of about K1 billion programmed to come ahead of the project so you can prepare schools, youth, landowner companies, and others. At the forthcoming Development Forum, we will indicate the business development grants, which will come ahead of the project like the infrastructure development grants.”