Ihu SEZ progresses towards recruitment and landowner consultations

Ihu SEZ is set to progress further as its project management team is being recruited by an independent recruitment firm. Project Director Peter KenGemar said advertisements will soon be placed for top level project managers and team leaders.

“HR recruitment has been outsourced to local reputable HR solutions company HCMS who will soon advertise and interview all interested applicants,” KenGemar said.

“ISEZ is a program about creating long term sustainable generational jobs our local people. We are happy to start employing own local experts to be responsible in areas of project management.”

ISEZ project management office will now have top line managers and team leaders to program and implement programs that are very important and will provide the baseline information. These programs are landowner awareness and consultations, land mobilization and social licensing, environmental impact studies, SME training, feasibility studies and site improvement services.

“The program is fully supported by Hon. Soroi Eoe, Kikori DDA and GoPNG under Marape Basil government.” The national government in 2021 budget has fully supported this program.

The increase in momentum towards project implementation has attracted the attention of critics and concerned landowners. Many have expressed concern about the structure and ownership of the entity implementing ISEZ. Others have raised points about landowner participation and consent for land allocated for the project.

“If you are a landowner, stay in your village and after the awareness and consultation you will have your opportunity to give your consent to the awareness ISEZ project to include your village and land or you want to reject it and stay the same,” KenGemar said.

“ISEZ is a Kikori district and GoPNG project.”

” The project is owned by the 4 LLGs of Kikori and the landowners of the project impact area. Relevant changes are effected with IPA. The final changes to the owners will be completed after social mapping and land ownership studies are completed by the end of 2021.

“ISEZ is not Papua LNG so it is not a Total France project. ISEZ is not sand or coal mining so is not a Mayur Resources project. ISEZ is neither Pasca Gas project so is not a Twinza Oil”. ISEZ is a special economic zone project by the people of Kikori and GoPNG targeting downstream processing for exports and import substitution.

“After the awareness, ISEZ will roll out; a) land mobilization program, b) EIS, c) site improvements and d) SME incubation.

“These programs will only affect people who have allowed their land for Phase 2 of the ISEZ project implementation.

KenGemar said the project is scheduled over a 15-year period with programs scheduled over that duration to achieve set targets. He said it is important for all stakeholders to understand the projects implementation schedule and cycle so as not to be distracted by events such as the upcoming general elections.

“Now that ISEZ is a national government approved project, elections are important but will not affect the project implementation” KenGemar said.

“Prime Minister Hon. James Marape will lead a powerful delegation of Ministers, government agency heads and CEOs to Ihu to announce GoPNG decision to approve the project and open other Kikori DDA projects.

The Prime Minister is expected to visit Ihu to announce the ISEZ project on the 18th of February. His visit comes on the back of the signing of the fiscal stability agreement between the government of PNG and Total regarding the US $ 13 billion Papua LNG project. Both the Papua LNG and Ihu SEZ projects are situated in Kikori District.

ISEZ Project Director Peter KenGemar thanked Kikori DDA Board through the Chairman and Kikori MP and Minister for Foreign Affairs and International Trade, Hon. Soroi Eoe for his vision and support from Ihu SEZ project since inception.

“The Kikori MP is a local from Ihu and is an experienced public servant and an anthropologist by profession.

“He is an articulate operator and he will make sure his people from Ihu, Baimuru and Kikori benefit from these mega projects,” KenGemar said.

Meanwhile KenGemar urged all stakeholders to set aside their differences and work together towards driving the ISEZ project forward.

“Some of us who are driving this mega project envision ISEZ as a major solution and not a problem,” he said.