The Mineral Resources Authority (MRA) has strengthened its efforts to improve leadership and governance among mining project communities, successfully delivering a comprehensive two-week training programme for landowner leaders of the Hidden Valley mine.
Thirty landowner representatives completed the intensive programme, held from 27 October to 5 November in Port Moresby. The training culminated in a certificate presentation ceremony on 7 November, officiated by MRA Managing Director Jerry Garry.
Fully funded by the MRA, the programme is the first of its kind for this cohort of Hidden Valley landowners and was delivered by three reputable institutions: the PNG Institute of Directors (PNGID), the Centre for Excellence in Financial Inclusion (CEFI), and the Institute of Banking & Business Management (IBBM). Together, these organisations delivered a structured curriculum covering corporate governance, financial literacy, and essential leadership skills.
PNGID facilitated sessions on effective board operations, the role of directors, strategic oversight, financial essentials, risk fundamentals, and diversity and inclusion. CEFI provided practical training on budgeting, cash flow, financial pressures, daily income tracking, and record keeping—critical skills for managing community funds and business entities.
IBBM delivered a wide-ranging leadership programme covering transformational and situational leadership, people management, SMART goal-setting, personal inventory assessments, and an introduction to leadership models by Kouzes and Posner.
According to the MRA, the programme aims to equip landowner leaders to:
• Understand the roles and responsibilities of directors, particularly within NAKUWI—the Hidden Valley landowner umbrella company—and support women and youth groups through transparent, accountable governance.
• Build positive, influential, and effective leadership skills for managing landowner associations and community groups.
• Improve financial literacy and understanding of financial markets and investment principles.
• Contribute collaboratively to the development of a Sustainable Development Plan for Hidden Valley (2025–2030) alongside NAKUWI and key stakeholders.
Garry said delivering such training programmes nationally is a core MRA initiative driven by long-standing challenges within landowner associations. He noted that despite decades of mining projects operating in Papua New Guinea, many landowner groups continue to face issues such as poor leadership, weak management, and a lack of financial accountability—factors that have hindered development aspirations in mine-impacted communities.
He emphasised that the MRA is committed to reversing this trend by ensuring landowner associations are competently managed and better positioned to serve their communities’ interests.
“This program empowers landowners with the right knowledge and mindset to strengthen governance, minimize fraud, abuse, and mismanagement, and ultimately improve outcomes for their people,” he said.
Hidden Valley Landowners Association Chairman Wayang Kawa acknowledged the importance of the training, noting that many of his members had not been formally educated in business or organisational management. He said the programme had equipped them with practical skills they intend to apply when they return to their communities.
PNGID President Clarence Hoot also thanked the MRA for funding the initiative, expressing confidence that the landowners are now better prepared to understand and carry out their leadership responsibilities.
The programme concluded on a positive note, marking a significant step towards building strong, accountable, and visionary leadership within the Hidden Valley project area—an outcome the MRA hopes to replicate across all mining project regions in Papua New Guinea.
