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.