Employees at the Ok Tedi Mining Limited (OTML) from the Enga province have successfully raised K80, 000 to support their affected people in Mulitaka following the landslip in the Enga province.
The proceeds are from cash donations from the Engan workforce and community in Tabubil as well as a corporate dinner hosted in Tabubil that was attended by the Tabubil business communities including OTML.
Speaking at the corporate dinner recently, the group’s lead, Edward Maiapu said, “Although the Mulitaka incident has garnered a lot of support from PNG and the global community, there are certain social issues in the affected three villages that the community cannot utilize the donated funds to resolve. This includes the customary obligations of compensating death to ensure peace prevails.”
Seeing this need, the OTML Engan workforce decided to raise funds to address this issue to ensure the families of the deceased come to terms with the loss.
Mr. Maiapu said the team plans to present the fundraising proceeds to the leaders of the three impacted villages in the coming weeks.
OTML Managing Director and Chief Executive Officer Mr. Kedi Ilimbit commended the Engan workforce for taking the initiative to raise funds for a much needed and culturally important issue that emerged from the Mulitaka Disaster.
“The Engan workforce have shown us that they are from the area, have done their due analysis of the impact and found an area that would be left unattended to, thus they took the lead in providing a solution for that,” Mr. Ilimbit said.
“Such an initiative is to be commended and sets a precedent for us here at OTML and also across PNG to stand up and do what we can within our means to assist in any given situation.”
OTML is a 100% PNG owned mine and is committed to conducting its operations in an environmentally, socially, and economically responsible manner that respects cultural heritage and human rights.
OTML will be announcing its donation support to the Mulitaka Appeal soon.