Partnership agreement for water supply funding for Huon Gulf district

A partnership funding agreement for rural water supply projects has been reached by the Huon Gulf district in Morobe province and Morobe Mining Joint Ventures (MMJV).

A partnership for rural water supply projects in Huon Gulf district.  Representatives of Newcrest Mining Limited Borone Isana (left) and Morobe Mining Joint Ventures' DrGeoff Day (second from left) and Johannes van Heerden (right) with Hon Sasa Zibe at the signing of the water supply funding agreement

The agreement will see both partners (MMJV and Huon Gulf district) fund the establishment of water supplies on a kina-for-kina basis up to a total of K1million each.
The programme will target communities residing within the Huon Gulf district which are in the vicinity of MMJV’s mining and exploration activities near the Wafi-Golpu project and Morobe exploration sites in other areas of the district.
Access to clean safe and reliable water supplies has been identified as a priority for the people of the Huon Gulf district in Morobe Province.
Recently the Huon Gulf joint district planning and budget priorities committee (JDPand BPC) headed by Huon Gulf MP and Minister for Health and HIV and AIDS,Sasa Zibe, identified this as a key objective for all communities in his district.
The focus on rural water supplies by the Huon Gulf JDP and BPC also falls closely in line with the Morobe Mining Joint Ventures (MMJV) sustainable development activities
MMJV considers the provision of clean, reliable water supplies as a key component of its community development support programme for areas that fall within the footprint of its mining and exploration activities in the Morobe province.
The agreement complements MMJV’s existing water supply programme currently being implemented in the Bulolo district throughout Hidden Valley landowner and Watut River communities in partnership with Adventist Development Relief Agency (ADRA) and Lutheran Development Service (LDS).
The programme funding will be administered by a project management committee with district and MMJV representation.
Mr Zibe and MMJV general manager - sustainability and external relations, David Wissink both agreed on the importance of forging close working partnerships to help provide an important benefit to the communities where it was needed most.