PNG Biomass received the Excellence in Community Engagement Award during the inaugural PNG Security Congress in Port Moresby. The award recognises the project’s strong landowner relationships and ongoing engagement with communities in the Markham Valley in Morobe Province.
The inaugural PNG Security Congress addresses security challenges faced by business, government and the broader community in PNG and offers a forum to discuss unique solutions.
With the Community Engagement Award the Security Congress recognises, acknowledges and rewards excellence in engagement with communities and landowners. Nominees for the award need to demonstrate a positive and significant impact and contribution and show how they achieved tangible outcomes in relation to safety and security priorities.
PNG Biomass was nominated as a finalist for following project-owner Oil Search’s approach of ‘no fences, deep relationships’. The project believes that the best security approach to create a stable and safe operating environment is strong community relations and an enduring on-the-ground presence.
PNG Biomass Project Director, Michael Henson, and Government Affairs Supervisor, Nicholas Koromugo, received a trophy and certificate at the Awards Presentation Dinner on Tuesday 5 March. In judging the awards, the committee focused on leadership, project delivery, professionalism, on-going performance and product innovation and those that have demonstrated achievements that exceed core expectations.
Project Director of PNG Biomass, Michael Henson, responded that the Project is honoured to have won this award:
“We take safety and security extremely serious, our outstanding community relationships are a formidable way of ensuring a stable environment in the Markham Valley. Since 2011 we have worked together with landowners on a daily basis, and there is an on-going dialogue with our communities in the Valley.
“Winning the award is credit to the communities, they have welcomed us into their villages, onto their land, and have remained committed to our project for the last eight years. Together we are creating benefits, bringing inclusive economic growth to rural areas, and ensure that we operate and live in a safe, stable and prosperous Markham Valley,” said Henson.