Community leader and professional accountant Frank Benabo has issued a public response to a recent press release circulated by groups claiming to represent Bilimoia landowners alongside Kainantu MP William Hagahuno, calling for all parties to follow legal processes in resolving issues surrounding the K92 Mining project.
In a statement dated July 8, Mr. Benabo said that after consulting the Member of Parliament’s office and several recognized landowner groups, he found that not all landowner groups had been consulted and that many were unaware of the press release. He claimed the release appeared to have been coordinated by pressure groups acting without broad consultation
Mr. Benabo said he had reviewed Papua New Guinea’s mining laws and regulations and stressed that any concerns relating to K92 Mining should be addressed through the legal frameworks established under those laws.
He explained that while the State owns minerals beneath customary land, landowners are entitled to compensation and structured participation in mining developments, including equity participation, Infrastructure Development Grants (IDG), Business Development Grants (BDG), and opportunities in spin-off businesses.
According to Mr. Benabo, structured participation requires legally binding arrangements that provide landowners with a role in decision-making, financial benefits, and long-term oversight of mining activities on their customary land.
However, he questioned whether those arrangements were currently in place, noting that the recently proposed Memorandum of Agreement (MOA) had reportedly stalled because of unresolved leadership and principal landowner issues. He also pointed out that principal landowners have yet to be properly identified, despite the matter spanning more than three decades.
Mr. Benabo warned that without unity among landowners, efforts to secure structured benefits would lack a proper foundation.
He further noted that K92 Mining has contributed more than K1 billion in taxes since 2017, saying the company’s tax contributions demonstrate its role in supporting Papua New Guinea’s national development.
Mr. Benabo encouraged pressure groups to work collaboratively with recognized landowners to resolve leadership and landownership disputes instead of relying on petitions that lack a proper legal basis.
He also urged the local Member of Parliament, whom he described as a trained lawyer, to continue pursuing lawful solutions to landowner concerns and avoid sensationalizing the issues, particularly in the lead-up to elections.
Concluding his statement, Mr. Benabo called on all parties to engage in good faith and pursue fair treatment through constructive dialogue, saying he remains available to assist his people through consultation if required.