MRDC and Gas Resources PNGLNG Pipeline Limited (GR PNGLNGP) aims to rebuild the health and education facilities in Benaria, Komo-Magarima after the royalty and dividend payments for Segments 2 and 3 are completed

MRDC and Gas Resources PNGLNG Pipeline Limited (GR PNGLNGP) aims to rebuild the health and education facilities in Benaria, Komo-Magarima after the royalty and dividend payments for Segments 2 and 3 are completed

During the payment announcement in Benaria last Saturday, MRDC’s Managing Director Augustine Mano said, once the payment, totally K3.76 million, is paid today to the 174 beneficiary clans of segments 2 and 3 of the PNGLNG Pipeline license No.4 (PL4), the next task is to look at investing in community infrastructure projects in the area

The combined dividend and equity payments are from the 40% of total royalty and equity benefits.

After the 40% cash payments are made from total income/revenue to GR PNGLNGP, the remaining 60% is divided whereby 30% is allocated to Community Investment Trust Fund (CITF) and another 30% is in Future Generations Trust for investment purposes, a requirement of the Oil and Gas Act.

He said many older people had worked hard and long since the initial talks of benefiting from the project and have died without seeing the fruits or their hard work. “Our children will now benefit, and we are thankful you are here with us to share this wonderful news” said Sodu.

“Getting the 40% cash component is good but we all know money doesn’t last long,” said Mr Mano.

“Access to basic services such as health and education is important for the Benaria communities because schools and health centers will benefit the communities in the long run.”

“This is what we plan to do – we will use the 30% funding allocated under the CITF to rebuild the health center and classrooms for the school.”

The tribal fight between two warring clans destroyed the Benaria Health Centre and school.

In March 2020, peace was restored though the efforts of the 27 clan leaders and the Hela Provincial Peace and Goodwill Order Committee, led by the Hon. Governor Philip Undialu MP.

Mr Mano urged the Benaria communities to continue ensure peace is maintained in the area as “only through peace can basic services and benefits reach the communities.”

Meantime, MRDC will pay the 174 benefiting clans of segments 2 and 3 today. This will conclude the first round of payments which MRDC began 18 months ago to the PL4 areas.

The remaining balance from these payments will be distributed once the audits for subsequent years are completed. The payments took a while to complete given MRDC had to facilitate the entire clan account openings for each beneficiary clan in the eight segment areas – almost 1000 accounts before payments were made. There are eight segment areas covering five provinces, which the 700- kilometer PNGLNG pipeline runs through. Segments 2 and 3 covers the Benaria and Homa Paua regions of Hela Province.

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