The Mineral Resources Development Company (MRDC) and its subsidiary landowner company Petroleum Resources Gobe (PRG) as the “custodians of tomorrow” continues their relentless push for infrastructure development in the Oil and Gas Project areas through its Community Infrastructure Trust Funds with the opening of a new double classroom and single staff house at Maroroko Primary School in Erave, Southern Highlands.
MRDC Managing Director Augustine Mano point out that at its peak about 20,000 barrels of oil was produced at Gobe Oil Project per day but that has now declined to just 700-800 barrels per day. Soon the taps will run dry with nothing left, education is the future and MRDC has been pushing that agenda.
“Why I promote education for the young children is that they are still tender and can be thought at an early age to aim high unlike the adults who are already matured,” said Mr. Mano.
Maroroko in Erave is one of the most isolated parts of the country and one of the few escapes from harsh realities of life here is education. The new building is a blessing for the 10, 000 plus population of Maroroko and the surrounding communities that will one way or the other benefit from these infrastructure developments.
“The future is in the hands of you young children. You must strive to be better than me, you must strive to be better than everyone else.
“When I was in school, I never thought I’d be a Managing Director of a world class company but here I am now. You have the opportunity to be somebody greater.
“MRDC and PRG as custodians of tomorrow believes in education as a catalyst for a better tomorrow and we will continue to support and build infrastructure,” stated the MRDC Managing Director.
The Maroroko Primary School now lies about 500 meters away from the freshly constructed Gulf – Southern Highlands highway but it wasn’t always like this. When constructions of the double classroom and the staff house began in January 2019, there was no roads. The materials were carried to the site on bare shoulders by the locals all the way from Samberigi and Erave Station as far as 15 Kilometers away.
“We carried most of the materials here when they were no roads. There was no other way to bring the materials for the Maroroko school. It was hard work but it is now completed. The Gulf-Southern Highlands was completed only a few months ago. We thank the government for that too,” said Community leader Mark Sondo who is also a MRDC employee.
Maroroko village is the home of singer Estapacifica, a few Kilometers away lies the village of PNG Kick Boxing legend Stanley Nandex, this region is the last Papua, the back page. When the last 12 Kilometer missing link of the Agiru Highway is completed in January 2022 and the planned Kikori wharf becomes operational, this region is destined to be the gateway to the greater Highlands region and that is why Mr. Mano believes education is the key for the people here to cash in on when the opportunities present itself.