NPC takes over LNG claims

THE national planning committee (NPC) will, with immediate effect, vet all memorandums of agreement and ministerial commitments relating to the liquefied natural gas (LNG) project, The National reports,

Deputy Prime Minister and NPC chairman Sam Abal had directed Treasury and National Planning departments to refrain from effecting payment of all outstanding claims by landowner groups.

He said in a statement yesterday that all payments would be screened by the expenditure implementation committee (EIC), the peak bureaucratic-level committee sanctioning all proposals for funding against the various benefit streams for oil and gas, particularly the LNG business grants, MoAs and ministerial commitments.

He said following EIC vetting and approved lists of proposals made, these would then be subjected to final vetting by the NPC.

“The prime minister has appointed me to ensure LNG-related issues are handled properly and I will do that with full participation of all related committee members,” Abal said.

“Except for one or two BDG cases that are subject to litigation, as far as the government is concerned, the case regarding BDGs is closed.

“It has been paid on site and there are no further payments to be made.”

The deputy prime minister said with regards to MoA commitments, “we sympathise with the landowner groups that have waited long”.

“Payment of MoAs will be the government’s most immediate focus and attention.

“Ministerial commitments made within the context of the PNG LNG negotiation and the BSA will be the next to be considered.

“Through NPC, we will seek to settle these claims as soon as possible.”

Abal also reaffirmed his early direction that all payments would be paid on-site in front of the people to whom these monies were intended for in improving their livelihoods and standard of living.

He appealed to landowner groups living in Port Moresby not to complicate issues for the government by resorting to a “confuse and plunder” strategy but return to their people in project areas and organise from there.

“We must cooperate with the government to settle these issues once and for all,” Abal said.