Hargo.co.id, GORONTALO – The welfare program of the Pani Gold Project continues, with the latest realization of aid distribution to miners operating in the company’s concession area in the Alamotu Block reaching approximately 73-74 percent.
Boyke Abidin, the CEO of PT Gorontalo Sejahtera Mining (GSM), stated that the aid distribution program for miners is progressing smoothly, with open communication and information exchange between miners and the verification team.
“The realization of aid distribution to miners in the Alamotu Block has reached around 73-74 percent. This is quite encouraging,” said Boyke recently.
The aid distribution program for miners is centralized at Pioneer Camp. The location of Pioneer Camp was chosen for its proximity to the miners’ activities and its facilities, including office facilities to support interview and document compilation activities.
Boyke added that the Alamotu Block is the second block to be verified after the Kolokoa Block, which has already been completed with a realization of aid reaching 73 percent. Currently, the verification process has entered the Ilota Kiri Block.
Boyke emphasized that the Pani Gold Project will always be a good neighbor to the Pohuwato community with a courteous, humane, and just approach. In particular, for the miner aid program, Pani Gold Project prioritizes the values of honesty, fairness, and transparency.
Managed jointly by PT GSM, PT Puncak Emas Tani Sejahtera (PETS), PT Pani Bersama Tambang (PBT), and PT Mentari Alam Persada (MAP), all of which fall under PT Merdeka Copper Gold Tbk.
One miner, Sarton, expressed gratitude for receiving aid from the company.
“Alhamdulillah, I am grateful. This [aid] should be appreciated. I and the miners do not have rights because we do not own the land we cultivate,” he said.
He hoped that the government and related agencies could promptly process and realize the People’s Mining Area (WPR). While WPR has not been realized, Sarton and other miners operate in Botudulanga, Balayo, and Tomula, which are located outside the company’s concession area.
The aid distribution process begins with interviews, where miners explain their activities and operated properties. Miners also explain when they started and stopped their activities, if they have indeed ceased operations.
Some invitees could not explain clearly because they apparently inherited the location and properties from their parents.
During field verification, they also faced difficulties in indicating the location of walls or pasolos because they had disappeared or the locations were overgrown with vegetation due to being left for too long.
Another miner, Fengki, who operates in several block locations, realizes that the company’s presence on Mount Pani has legal strength in the form of permits for forest area use, mining business permits, and others.
“The company’s presence is accompanied by concession permits, while miners do not have them. Therefore, we accept this aid,” he said.
Fengki added that he actively educates the community about this aid program. Miners who have received aid must cease activities in the company’s concession area. Fengki also expressed the miners’ hope that their children could be recruited as company employees in the future. (*)
Author: Riyan Lagili