2 August 2021

PRESS RELEASE: 02nd August, 2021,
LAE, MOROBE PROVINCE

MAKE ALL TRANSACTIONS IN MINING AND PETROLEUM VALUE CHAIN TRANSPARENT: GINSON SAONU

Morobe Governor and Deputy leader of the ruling Pangu Pati Hon Ginson Saonu today opened the PNG Extractive Industries Transparency Commission Bill Momase Regional consultation in Lae and gave his backing for the establishment of the Extractive Industries Transparency Commission.

He welcomed a State Technical working group comprising the Department of Petroleum, Department of National Planning, Constitutional and Law Reform Commission, Department of Treasury and staff from the PNGEITI National Secretariat to administer the consultation.

The Governor underscored the importance of reflecting the national goals and directives enshrined in the Constitution in making policies and laws that govern the resource sector.

The Momase consultation is the second leg of a series of regional consultation to gauge views from stakeholders to shape a bill that is reflective of views from wider community for better implementation of EITI Global Standard in Papa New Guinea.

Consultation workshop starts today and ends on Thursday this week.

The implementation of EITI Principles and the Standard in Papua New Guinea rides on a National Executive Council Decision administered by as a secretariat under the Department of Treasury.

The proposed law aims to establish the PNGEITI National Secretariat as a commission to provide policy recommendations to the Government and more so provide a clear description of activities taking place in the PNG mining and petroleum industry.

Deputy Head of PNGEITI National Secretariat Christopher Tabel thanked the Governor for opening the workshop which is the second of regional consultation rolled out and will continue to two other regions.

“The PNGEITI is a state initiative and it’s only fitting and delightful moment for the state working group on the legislation and the instrumentalities involved in the process to have a Governor of existing and upcoming resource projects of huge magnitude.

“PNGEITI has been in operation since 2014 effected by a NEC decision and now we are moving into the next step in anchoring this extractive industry reporting process into PNG’s legal and administrative system.

PNGEITI has published 7 country reports detailing activities taking placing in the PNG mining and petroleum space.

“We thank the Morobe Governor and his hardworking administration team for the support and the welcome that we have received from Morobe.

We look forward to a meaningful consultation in the coming days with all stakeholders from Government, Civil Society organizations and resource companies,’’ Mr. Tabel said.

ENDS…

Image Caption: Morobe Governor Hon Ginson Saonu (third from left) with stakeholder representatives from Provinces East and West Sepik, Madang and Morobe Provincial administration including the State legal and policy officials and the National Secretariat staff at the Lae International Hotel after he officially opened the PNGEIT Commission Bill Momase Regional consultation.