PRIME MINISTER HAPPY WITH CONTRACT SIGNING
By Nigel MADO, Port Moresby
Prime Minister James Marape has voiced his utmost happiness over the signing of the Western Provincial Projects Company.
He stated that today, PNG has shown the world that it is not only just an oil, gold and gas country.
The signing will see the formation of the GRE Drimgas Sustainability Project in the Western Province. This is a joint venture between the Various landowner groups, the EPOCA Group and the Government.
The EPOCA funding comes after adhering to the Governments consistent policy that PNG must have 51% stake in any project.
The Prime Minister further states that Oil, gold and gas will be depleted as they are time-bound, but the country has more to offer then just oil, gold and gas.
He says for the last 30 years, PNG has shifted away from the intrinsic strength in land and just been focussing on oil, gold and gas.
He was pleased that a credible investor has chosen to come in and partner Western Province landowners. AlsoWestern Provincial Government, a project through and through initiated by the Western Province people and government themselves.
He commended key leaders who were instrumental in making it happen, notably Western Provincial Governor, the Honourable Taboi Awi Yoto.
He further added that this has been a project in the making for so long, with systematic impediments and non-focus by national agencies on key value of agroforest, this project integrates development into the picture.
The Project is set to see the creation of at least 3000, jobs for Western Province.
