Hidden Valley landowners see first fruits of mine agreement

Nauti landowners in Hidden Valley, Morobe province, are now seeing the fruits of a benefit sharing agreement (BSA) signed between them, landowner association Nakuwi, and mine owners Newcrest and Harmony, The National reports.

 Five months after the BSA, two of the mine landowner villages have now received the first lot of benefits from that agreement.

 Last Friday, the Nauti people received an Isuzu truck and walkabout sawmill through the BSA under the Hidden Valley Mine Benefit Sharing Trust (HVMBST). 

 Excited Nauti villagers beside the new truck

Winima landowners were the first to receive similar items a week earlier.

 At the presentation held at the village, government, HiddenValley mine representatives, community and Nakuwi leaders encouraged the people to take care of the properties and use them for the intended purpose of improving and developing their villages.

 The truck and sawmill was the result of the signing of the trust deed in late 2011 following extensive consultation with the Nakuwi Association and mine area community leaders.

 The purpose of the trust is to provide additional socio-economic benefits to the mine landowning communities of Nauti, Kwembu and Winima, (Nakuwi), which are tied to the continuing successful operation of the Hidden Valley Mine.

 Starting with an initial contribution of K3 million, trust proceeds will be used on community infrastructure, capacity building, education, training, community development and business development projects and programmes nominated by the respective village planning  committees.

 Ongoing funding to the trust is anticipated to be approximately K1.5 million per annum based on fixed and variable amounts tied to mine revenues.

 The trust is governed by a board of consisting of representatives from the Nakuwi Association; Nauti, Kwembu, and Winima villages; Morobe provincial government; Mineral Resources Authority; and Hidden Valley Joint Venture, operator of the mine.