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NEW PORGERA AGREEMENT

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The Independent State of Papua New Guinea, Barrick Niugini Limited and New Porgera Limited has signed an agreement to progress with the operations of the mine.

The New Porgera Progress Agreement signed on Friday confirms that all parties are committed to reopening the mine at the earliest opportunity.

The signing ceremony at the government house was witnessed by Prime Minister James Marape, Deputy Prime Minister John Rosso, Barrick Gold CEO Mark Bristow, ministers of the state, and other stake holders.

After the signing Ceremony, Prime Minister James Marape addressed the media, saying this is a huge step closer to the reopening of the Porgera mine.

The Prime Minster further shared his appreciation to the State Negotiation Team and all stake holders for their patience, and hard work behind the scene, which allowed them to go through the due processes.

Marape said there has been a lot of delay in the processes, however these are all steps to ensure the new porgera is a fruitful venture.

Barrick CEO Mark Bristow further explained that the next steps are to transfer the exploration license from old Porgera to new Porgera, and make the application for the special Mining license, and that will open the doors to starting up the mine.

“We have a number of people to employ between now and the startup. We have started, and we will continue to employ people.” Bristow said.

He said they are committed to start producing gold within this year.

The CEO also appealed to the people of Porgera to end all violence and work together for a better place in Enga province.

Under the New Porgera agreement, economic benefits will be shared 53% by the PNG stakeholders and 47% by Barrick Niugini Limited.

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Agriculture

EU STREIT PROGRAM PARTNERS WITH AGRI-ENTERPRISES

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The Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO), under EU-STREIT PNG Programme, is collaborating with registered enterprises or cocoa nurseries, to sustainably supply quality cocoa seedlings in the Sepik Region of Papua New Guinea.

Over 30 registered nurseries have signed an agreement with EU STREIT PNG, and they are now distributing pest-tolerant seedlings to potential cocoa producers in the Sepik region.

This partnership is to help increase the production of high-quality cocoa.

It also provides an opportunity for the nursery owners to further nourish in PNG agri-businesses environment, being empowered to engage, provide and meet local demands for cocoa seedlings.

The newly boarded partners have been equipped with nursery set-ups by the Programme that meets PNG Cocoa Board standards.

“National Cocoa Production Officer Michael Lames said they are engaging farmer groups as service providers to deliver seedlings to their members including youths and women.”

“The FAO under the Programme will purchase these seedlings at the rate of K3 and K4 per seedling, including transport cost for distribution of seedlings to targeted farmers and cocoa blocks,” Lames said.

FAO – STREIT Cocoa Production Officer Odrick Urum further explained that payment will be made upon satisfactory completion of deliveries that will be followed by field verification where seedlings are planted into the ground.

“The money will be paid into the groups’ respective bank accounts to support their operation as a business, and for the benefit of their members.”

Wilfred Mombiang who represents a registered farmer group of Saure Village, in Wewak District, expressed gratitude towards this partnership.

“It is an exciting opportunity for us to learn new ideas on how to operate as a service provider, which requires quality delivery on a set time,” Mombiang said.

The Programme has also built the capacity of nursery owners as well as the producers in efficient cocoa cloning, budding and block management.

All these initiatives are part of the EU-STREIT Programme’s broader work plan to strengthen cocoa value chain actors in the Sepik region.

Cocoa farmers signing documents with the EU STREIT Program
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Natural Resources

K14.8M in Royalties Paid out by the Ramu Nickel Project

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Landowners of the four project impact areas of the Ramu Nickel Project under Ramu NiCo Management Limited, were paid their royalty payment totalling to K14.8 million for the year 2021 on July 20th, 2022.

The landowner groups that the payments were made to include Kurumbukari, Inland Pipeline, Coastal Pipeline and Basamuk. Kurumbukari got a portion of approximately K8.6 million, Inland and Coastal Pipeline LO’s got approximately K2 million each while Basamuk Los got a portion of approximately K3 million respectively.

All payments made totals to the grand total of royalty payment to LO’s for 2021, including the other years concerned. The recent payments are the 6th made by the company since production began in 2013.

Jacob Winis, Principal Landowner of Memeume 1 and Chairman of the Maigari (Inland Pipeline) Landowners Association said, the royalty payments made by Ramu NiCo has contributed immensely in improving the people’s state of living by having access to basic services.

“The royalty payments made by Ramu NiCo to the landowners has helped us in setting up small Businesses or projects, supporting us with school fees, access to health services and I see that there is actual change” Winis said.

The first royalty payments made were in 2018, for years 2013 to 2017, paid in two separate accumulated payments; first payment of approximately K25.5 million was made in June of 2018. While the second  payment of K8 million plus, was made in the same year for July to December of 2017.

Royalty payment of approximately K16.3 million for 2018 was made in 2019, for 2019, approximately K26.2 million was made in 2020. 2020’s payment of K 17.3 million approximately was made in 2021.

With the most Recent payment of approximately K14.8 million made this year, for 2021. A total of K108.1 million in royalties has been paid since 2018 to landowners.

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Natural Resources

Ramu NiCo’s High Risk Workers Trained

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High Risk Workers of Ramu NiCo Management Limited’s Kurumbukari Mine, engaged in the High Risk Work field, have undergone the Verification of Competency training over a seven week period in March and April of 2022.

The VOC training are for those employees that were already certified but needed to be reassessed in terms of their competency levels to ensure that they are brought up to speed again.

A specialist crane operator with Harness Energy Training Company based in Port Moresby, Palikatap Pokanau, conducted the training including the recent session at Ramu NiCo’s Kurumbukari Mine in July.

“The recent training included overhead crane observation and assessment for 100 plus employees that were put in the logbook in various other training including rigging and dogging” Pokanau said

“About 45 are doing overhead crane training, three were put on the logbook for slew crane operations, over 20 did dogging and another 20 plus doing basic rigging were assessed”

Pokanau stated that certificates are only issued upon results being sent to Port Moresby, and that all training is conducted in compliance with Australian Standards.

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Business

Locals undergo training at Ramu Nico’s Kurumbukari Mine

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Communities in the impacted areas of Ramu NiCo’s Kurumbukari mine were given a chance to undergo various trainings in the extraction process.

Ramu NiCo has been providing employment for locals especially, since operations began in 2012. The company has so far trained and employed locals in the impacted areas to work in various fields that don’t need specific qualifications.

The Kurumbukari mine, in July of 2022, recruited 22 locals of whom 18 were trained to run and operate the Volvo Articulated Dump Truck and four for excavator trainings from the surrounding communities in the impacted zone.

Their training started on Thursday 7th  July, 2022 and will continue until all the apprentices are familiarized with the functions of the vehicle.

The 18 trainees started off with their T – 1 training at the mine pit and will continue to do their T- 2 Training (800 hours on the job training) and will later be verified based on their competency before joining the work force as qualified Volvo ADT A40E truck operators.

The exercise provides an employment opportunity for locals to work with Ramu NiCo. The 22 locals Selected were from the four major clans around the Kurumbukari Mine site.

This was based on the Memorandum of Understanding (MOA) between Ramu NiCo and the landowners.

Recommendations for training and employment are made by village leaders in the impacted zone of the Ramu NiCo project. Under this program each clan leader who are affiliated with the Company’s Community Affairs Office recommend locals who are able to work in the various fields.

General Manager of Ramu NiCo’s Kurumbukari Mine, Mr. Joseph Umare said the job/employment Opportunity for the mine is given back to the locals as priority.

“Ramu NiCo had been a major contributor of employment to landowners living in the impacted areas Around the Kurumbukari Basin, especially in the Usino Bundi District and parts of Rai Coast District.

The Company recruits 90 % of its employees from Madang Province with the remaining 10%, from other provinces,” Umare said.

He said the training will qualify them to work in the mine’s operations after they finish their T-1 and T-2.

Training respectively including a three-month probationary period. A proud local and trainee Mr. Rex Minembo said, they are very proud to be accepted by the company.

“We are proud to wear the company uniforms and to learn how to operate the mine truck,” Minembo said

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