North Fly MP James Donald has obtained a restraining order against the signing of the P’Nyang Gas Agreement between the State and the gas developer Exxon Mobil.
Donald told PNG Hausbung that he was able to serve the restraining order only to one party before the signing was done yesterday.
He said he had to do this because there were several issues that were not yet fully addressed before this project could be signed.
“Our grounds are of the reasons that there was no dialogue with the landowners, leaders of the host project and as well as the provincial leaders and also that the developer had no legal standing to strike another deal on the project,” Mr Donald said.
Minister for Petroleum Kerenge Kua was named as the first defendant, the state as the second defendant and developer Esso P’Nyang as the third defendant.
The matter will return to court on February 25, 2022.