Telikom PNG Limited has recently facilitated a mediation forum for landowners of Mt Kegum in Mul LLG of Western Highlands Province, where its transmission tower was recently vandalized by locals. Telikom PNG Board Chairman Cedric Rondoke and CEO Amos Tepi arrived in Mt Hagen over the weekend to address what has been described as the biggest vandalism of Telikom PNG in Western Highlands Province. Telikom CEO Amos Tepi, Board Chairman Cedric Rondoke and Mul Baiyer Lumusa MP Jacob Maki, accompanied by Western Highlands Provincial Police Commander John Sagom and representatives of Western Highlands Provincial Government, travelled on Sunday to Nengel village. The ttarvel was made to speak with the Kumdi tribes’ people who make up three council wards that claim ownership of Mt Kegum and the area on which the Telikom repeater station was located. The mediation forum was to address the theft of 120 solar panels, fuel drums and other valuable equipment costing between K3-4 million. Telikom CEO Amos Tepi while explaining the importance of the transmission tower, asked the reason behind this vandalism. Tepi explained that Telikom PNG owned the piece of land on which the tower was, since 1968. He added that Telikom PNG belongs to the 8 million plus people of Papua New Guinea. Telikom Board Chairman Cedric Rondoke wasted no time in getting to the bottom of the problem, by asking those with grievances to come forward and explain if they had issues with the annual Community Service Packages (CSP) payment arrangement or engagement of security guards for the tower. The Chairman's call prompted some youth and community representatives to reveal that the vandalism was done by those who felt they missed out on benefits like the annual CSP payment and monthly Goodwill Payment done to a security firm. Following the aired grievances, Chairman Rondoke made the decision in the people's favour by resorting to split the benefits equally to the three council wards and advised them to set up a collective security firm. Mul LLG President, Samuel Aikeke, on behalf of his people expressed remorse for what they had done. Meanwhile, Western Highlands Police have urged the vandals to return the stolen properties to avoid arrest and imprisonment for criminal offences including the breach of NICTA Act, which carries a penalty of K200, 000 fine and 15 years imprisonment for vandalizing telecommunication facilities.