By ORCHY REX
ENGA Governor Sir Peter Ipatas has urged Mining Minister Rainbo Paita to fast-track the Community Development Agreement (CDA) for Porgera Mine, highlighting frustrations over prolonged delays.
“On behalf of the people and the Enga Provincial Government, I would like to ask you, Minister, to hurry up,” Sir Peter said.
“Hurry up with this work on the CDA. Hurry up so that our people and the provincial government can benefit.
“Over one year now, there is a perception and expectations that people have been waiting and waiting. I ask you to hurry up so that people get what they deserve.”
The CDA is a legally binding agreement that outlines the benefits and development commitments a mining company will provide to affected communities, particularly in major resource projects such as the world-class Porgera Mine in Enga Province.
Minister Paita assured the governor and Parliament that the CDA process was nearing completion with a few administrative steps remaining before it was formally concluded.
“The CDA process takes time, but we’ve come to the conclusion part of the CDA,” he said.
“The last process of consultation with local leaders, including himself as Governor of the province, and all district members, has been done.”
Paita explained that the draft CDA had been submitted to the State Solicitor’s Office for legal clearance and was expected to be returned this week for Cabinet approval.
“I can assure you now, people of Enga, that by this week, once the draft comes from the Office of the State Solicitor, I will waste no time in bringing it to Cabinet,” he said.
“We will finish the process… and then we can have the process of concluding and signing off on the CDA.”
Minister Paita also acknowledged the complexity of the situation in Porgera, attributing some delays to ongoing law and order challenges and the need for thorough consultation with all stakeholders, including local leaders and other key ministers.
“We have issues up there in Porgera, so that’s where the delay is,” he said.
“It’s a consultative process to ensure that when we arrive at the point of concluding the CDA, everyone was consulted.”
Porgera Mine has been the subject of extensive negotiations and restructuring since its closure in 2020. The new CDA is expected to outline how benefits including royalties, employment and infrastructure will be shared among the landowners, provincial government, and national stakeholders.