Autonomous Bougainville Government (ABG) President and Minister responsible for Mining and Petroleum, His Excellency Ishmael Toroama, has extended his warmest congratulations to the leaders, clan chiefs, and people of the Kongara Constituency in Central Bougainville following the commencement of the first mineral drilling at the EL02 exploration site last week.
President Toroama visited the EL02 site to personally witness the historic launch of drilling operations conducted by Island Passage Exploration Limited (IPX) in partnership with local landowner company Isina Resource Holdings Limited. The event marks a significant milestone for Bougainville’s mineral exploration sector, occurring approximately 60 years after the initial exploration drills at Panguna.
The President expressed profound gratitude to the Kongara leaders for granting the necessary regulatory and social approvals, allowing the joint venture to commence work after years of anticipation.
“I want to make a special acknowledgment to all the leaders and clan chiefs," President Toroama said. "You are the ones who have given the approval for Island Passage and Isina Holdings to carry out the drilling, so I want to congratulate you.”
Highlighting the recent amendments to the Bougainville Mining Act 2015, President Toroama emphasized that the ABG is legally anchoring landowners at the absolute forefront of resource decision-making. He reaffirmed that Bougainville’s natural wealth must serve as the financial engine to build critical infrastructure and support broader socio-economic priorities.
“Based on our historical struggle, we have the Mining Act 2015, which we are continuously refining," the President stated. "Through these amendments, we are ensuring that we recognize who we are and the resources we possess. Your resources are meant to build hospitals, construct roads, send our children to school, and develop our communities.”
His Excellency reminded the people of Kongara that, as resource owners, they maintain the ultimate authority over any development taking place on their customary land.
“I encourage our youths to support Island Passage and Isina Holdings to successfully complete this drilling phase," Toroama added. "Once the data is gathered, any decision regarding the next phase of development will be entirely yours to make. The government has empowered you through the law, and nothing will take place outside of it."
“The law is designed to protect first and foremost the landowners, secondly the investors, and thirdly the capital investment being brought into our region. The government is here to safeguard these interests through legal frameworks. We are not here to control your resources. However, if an investor departs, the government retains a regulatory responsibility under the Act to assist you and mitigate any interferences.”
The President reaffirmed the ABG's absolute support for the IPX-Isina joint venture, noting that completing exploration across the Kongara 1 and Kongara 2 sites is vital, as the resulting geological data will guarantee and shape the region's future economic development.
To illustrate the tangible benefits of resource development, he pointed to the redevelopment of the Panguna Mine, which has already facilitated the establishment of the Arawa Level 7 Hospital and generated substantial employment for Bougainvilleans.
As Bougainville steadily advances toward its milestones of declaring Self-Government in 2027 and targeting Independence by 2030, the Toroama-Masatt Government remains intensely focused on building robust internal revenue streams to underpin the region’s political self-determination.
Concurrently, speaking in his capacity as Mining Minister, the President strongly condemned the recent trend of unlawful disruptions to commercial operations, directly referencing a recent incident at Panguna. He urged youths to refrain from destroying investments, warning that disrupting development ultimately sabotages Bougainville's economic future and its path toward independence.