Wafi-Golpu Joint Venture

The Wafi-Golpu Joint Venture has successfully engaged with over 4,000 visitors during the Morobe Show, showcasing its community investment programs and addressing inquiries about the project's progress. The showgoers were eager to learn about the project's construction timeline and how to participate, prompting WGJV staff to provide updates on the ongoing state negotiations and highlight the significant benefits and partnerships that will arise upon obtaining the Special Mining Lease. One of the standout partnerships featured at the WGJV stall was the Trupla Morobe chocolate, produced in collaboration with Paradise Foods. The showgoers had the opportunity to taste these chocolates and learn about the "Mining Chocolate" program, which is benefiting over 4,000 cocoa growing families and providing them with a sustainable annual income. Overall, the WGJV's presence at the Morobe Show was a resounding success, fostering engagement with the local community and highlighting the positive impact of its community investment initiatives.

Long Service appreciation for John Tangue John Tangue, or JT as he is called by his work colleagues, is the go-to person when it comes to emergency response and safety in the workplace. From Kauwo Village in Pangia, Southern Highlands Province, John completed his 15 years’ service in 2022 and he could not be more proud of his achievement. “Over the past 15 years, the company has supported my professional growth, elevating me from an officer to a supervisor and eventually to my current position as Emergency Response Coordinator,” he said. John was part of the Hidden Valley Bulldogs Emergency Response Team that participated and won the first ever inaugural Emergency Response Challenge in March 2011. “I was still attached to the Asset Protection Department at Hidden Valley, and eventually moved to Wafi-Golpu to work in the Safety Department, which has been a blessing.” John finds his job enjoyable and challenging at the same time. He responds to any emergencies along the site access road including incidents involving local vehicles, contractors, company vehicles, and even wild bushfires. “I frequently assist our site medic and heavy equipment operator during medical emergencies. So yes, my responsibilities extend to site safety, including conducting weekly toolboxes, facilitating inductions, and performing site inspections.” He wants to see the permitting of the Project completed so it can bring substantial benefits to local communities and the creation of long-term employment opportunities. “It’s an exciting prospect, having a world class copper-gold underground mine that would enhance the country’s economy and more importantly, bring positive change to our people.” John’s advice about safety is to always be vigilant and proactive, use tools and machines properly, report any unsafe conditions immediately, wear proper safety gears, and maintain a clutter-free workplace.

Wafi-Golpu Joint Venture was pleased to engage with talented students during the PNG University of Technology's Career Fair on August 30 to 31. Over 1,000 visitors including students and staff passed through the WGJV booth, receiving updates about the Project and the potential benefits it would provide once the permitting process is complete. Students were fascinated about the proposed block cave mining method and associated challenges that the project faced in the permitting phase. WGJV staff also gave out the TRUPLA MOROBE chocolates with messages of self-reliance and the importance of bringing empowerment and positive change to their communities.

The Wafi-Golpu Joint Venture is proud to have supplied more than 90 streetlights to local communities. The team have been distributing solar streetlights to its villages where the lights will assist community members in participating in communal night activities. The solar streetlights address the lack of adequate lighting for people attending communal activities at night, including church programs and meetings. The lights have been used for various purposes such as homework, reading, washing peanuts, bilum making and supplying light for construction of roofs on houses.

Long Service Appreciation for Mark Popen From cutting timber for the first building at Hidden Valley mine to working in the kitchen during the exploration days, Mark Popen has seen it all. As an Asset Protection Officer, this humble man who hails from Liap in Manus Province has always taken on every task or challenge put before him since he started with the company in 2002. “Because I couldn’t continue after Grade 6, I sought knowledge and skills in the jobs I found and worked hard at harnessing them. This was and is still my mindset, that I must see opportunities and make the most of it,” Mark said. His breakthrough came a year later after moving to Lae in 1986, when an exploration company was looking for extra hands for projects in the Bulolo and Wau areas. Mark capitalised on this opportunity, working in various roles including drill offsider and assisting geologists with core sampling. Eventually he ended up at the Wafi-Golpu Project where he joined a larger team to finalise the feasibility studies for the permit applications. “Right now, I do a number of tasks at Finchif Camp, like administering the Breath Alcohol Content tests for our drivers and monitoring the area to ensure our operation is safe,” he said. Mark believes in the value of respect and emphasises this daily in his work ethic and towards his teammates. “Especially when it comes to managing fatigue, I always tell them to respect your body. Respect your time. Your body needs rest, in order to be productive the next day.”

The Mining Chocolate Program was the talking point at the Wafi-Golpu Joint Venture booth during the PNG Resources Week held at University of Papua New Guinea from 1 to 4 July. WGJV set up a booth to inform the delegates, UPNG staff and students about the Project that now involves over 5,000 cocoa farmers represented by 6 Cooperatives. Trupla Morobe chocolate bars, produced from the farmers cocoa and manufactured by Paradise Foods Limited in partnership with WGJV, were displayed and shared to promote the Mining Chocolate program. Students from other tertiary institutions also visited the booth during the Career Fair from July 3 to 4. WGJV Social Performance Senior Advisor, Sheila Harou spoke of great progress of the cocoa program and how it is sustainably changing the lives of the people in the project footprint. She also highlighted the community investment programs making a positive impact in the communities, including the Water, Sanitation & Hygiene (WaSH) program, installations of solar streetlights and Teacher in a Box e-Library systems.

Wafi-Golpu Joint Venture has renewed a Memorandum of Agreement with the Cocoa Board of PNG to expand its cocoa support program to assist the farmers in the project impact areas. The MOA, signed on Friday June 21, includes seven Cocoa Cooperatives and inclusion of the first school, Bumayong Lutheran Secondary School (BLSS), as the WGJV reaffirms its direction to nurturing the young generation into cocoa farming as a sustainable venture. The school under agriculture subjects taught there, aims to teach the students the value of cocoa farming and self-reliance after leaving school. “So that’s why we started agribusiness to empower people, that they have an income stream as not everyone will have a job or a contract when the mine is fully permitted and eventually starts up,” said David Wissink, WGJV Head of External Relations & Sustainable Development. He said the MOA is in its fifth year and has proven to be a successful model, working with key stakeholders to progress the cocoa industry in Morobe Province. Also present at the signing ceremony was the Minister for Education, Hon Lucas Dawa Dekena, who witnessed the cocoa tree seedling planting by about 50 students. The Minister commended the WGJV and Cocoa Board PNG for the valuable partnership and emphasised to the students to take on these new skills and extend it beyond the school boundaries to enrich their communities. Through the partnership, the WGJV is supplying 500 cocoa seedlings to BLSS and providing materials and technical support in partnership with Cocoa Board PNG. The joint initiative, which commenced in 2019, is under the WGJV’s Mining Chocolate Program and is also benefitting cocoa cooperatives from Lower Watut, Babuaf, Hengambu, Nasuapum, Labuta, and Salamaua.

This month, the Wafi-Golpu Joint Venture team visited Eec and Oligidu villages to engage with over 400 community members, providing updates on the project. During these visits, the team explained key aspects of the project and its potential benefits for the communities as well as addressing specific questions. Additionally, the team met with local cocoa farmers to discuss their concerns and interests about the project who expressed their gratitude for the detailed information provided. The WGJV team appreciate the opportunity to speak directly with community members and provide an update on the project.

This World Environment Day, the Wafi Golpu Joint Venture led a cleanup program at the Voco Point Boat Stop. The cleanup campaign saw over 50 community members participate to support the staff in collecting waste, particularly plastic bottles littered along the beachfront. In addition to these cleanup efforts, our team distributed 1,000 fruit tree seedlings to SML schools and 1,000 cocoa seedlings to Bumayong Secondary School and Wawin National High School, building on the donations from previous years.