Juha PDL 9 landowners oppose gazetted notice

The landowners in solidarity to object a decision by Petroleum and Energy department (Image: Supplied)

Landowners from Juha Petroleum Development License [PDL] 9 in Hela Province have lodged a formal objection with the Department of Petroleum and Energy [DPE] regarding Gazette Notice No. 1086.

In their letter of objection, the Juha landowners argued that the recent Ministerial Determination allocating Juha PDL 9 benefits to Western Province is unlawful.

The objection outlines three main grounds for their challenge:

Legitimate Ownership
The landowners claim they are the 100% legitimate resource owners of the project impact area within the PNG LNG Project, specifically under the Topi and Umimi Council Wards in the Koroba Local Level Government (LLG), Koroba District, Hela Province.
They argue that the area in question falls entirely within their customary boundaries and that there are no legitimate landownership claims from any groups in Western Province.

False Beneficiary Allocations
According to the letter, the Gazette Notice contains false beneficiary allocations, diverting 80% of benefits to Western Province. The Juha clans have dismissed claims made by Chief John Wabi Sala as “false, misleading, and incorrect.”
They further assert that the Juha project area lies within their traditional land boundaries under the stewardship of the Sinali Tribe of Hela.

Compromised Coordination
The landowners allege that the Juha PDL 09 Coordinator has compromised the integrity of the landowner identification process. They claim certain officers have accepted bribes from Chief Sala and are colluding with interests from Western Province.
This, they believe, has resulted in the misrepresentation of landownership and an unjust allocation of benefits.

The Juha PDL 09 faction further claim that the Ministerial Determination was issued without proper stakeholder consultation, verification of land titles, or recognition of legitimate landowners.

Peter Andama of the Jugu Togomu ILG, representing the Sinali region of Juha PDL 09, issued the statement on behalf of the Juha Hela faction and their Paramount Chief, Tami Hinarogo.

They have called on the Department of Petroleum and Energy to review their submission, retract the gazetted notice, and engage in proper consultation with all affected communities.

The statement follows the publication of the Ministerial Determination in a national daily newspaper last Friday.