Mineral Resources Authority PNG

PRESS RELEASE

MRA SPECIAL PROCUREMENT COMMITTEE SWORN-IN

The Mineral Resources Authority (MRA) Special Procurement Committee of the National Procurement Commission (NPC) was sworn-in today, at the NPC office in Port Moresby.

This committee is a Special Committee of the NPC Board, sworn-in by the NPC to undertake and manage procurements. The committee has a financial threshold of up to K5m, as specified in Section 26(1)(f) of the National Procurement Amendment Act 2021. The Managing Director of the MRA is the Chairperson of the MRA SPC.

The committee composition is as follows:
1. Mr. Harry Kore, Acting Managing Director, MRA - Chairperson [Internal Member]
2. Mr. Winterford Eko, Acting Deputy Managing – Regulatory & Administration Functions, MRA [Internal Member]
3. Mr. Lave Michael, Acting Deputy Managing Director – Technical and Operational Functions, MRA [Internal Member]
4. Mr Saki Beka [internal member]
5. Mr. Samson Metofa, First Assistant Secretary, FRCD - Department of Finance [External Member]
6. Mr. Frank Hare, Manager Procurement, Sub-National - National Procurement Commission [External Member]
7. Ms. Lilian Vevara, Deputy State Solicitor - Procurement, Office of the State Solicitor, Department of Justice & Attorney General.

The committee which was sworn-in by Counsel Barry Mol, will be responsible for MRA’s internal procurement of goods & services.

Speaking at the ceremony, Mr Kore, reiterated the principles of good governance, transparency and accountability in the procurement business.

He said: “For us in the mining sector, we need to have that (good governance, accountability) to give confidence to our investors, our people, and to show our people back in the villages that we're here to serve their interests, not our own interests.

He said the establishment of the committee was an important catalyst to achieving MRA’s objectives, one of which is to expand the mineral geological database of the country. He said for the state to encourage mineral investment in the country, we must be able to procure and apply appropriate technology to conduct mineral exploration and geological investigations at deeper depths.

“The MRA's drive is that by ensuring timely access to genuine and quality exploration data and geological information, it (MRA) will enhance the State’s capacity to promote Papua New Guinea’s mineral resources, reduce exploration uncertainty and associated costs, and improve investor confidence in the country’s mining sector."

The NPC’s Board Secretary Mr Wesley Dickson expressed confidence with the MRA SPC Committee saying that NPC was ready to work with the committee.

PRESS RELEASE

TUAIM IS MRA’s NEW BOARD CHAIRMAN

The Mineral Resources Authority has a new Board Chairman.
He is Mr. John Tuaim. Mr. Tuaim was sworn-in as the Chairman today in Port Moresby, together with other directors in a special occasion, witnessed by the Mining Minister Hon. Solen Loifa, Acting Managing Director of the MRA Mr. Harry Kore, his staff, and the PNG Chamber of Resources & Energy’s Interim Executive Director Mr. Philip Samar and other stakeholders.

Mr Tuaim has a Masters of Business Administration (MBA) and is currently the Deputy Chief Executive Officer and Chief Investment Officer of the Mineral Resources Development Company (MRDC). He also sits on a number of boards as a director. These are the boards of the Pacific International Hospital, Hevilift Group of Companies, Dirio Gas & Power Limited, New Porgera Limited (NPL) and Fubilan Catering Services Limited.
Chairman Tuaim said at the ceremony that the board was all about ensuring good governance, transparency and accountability – a view shared by Mr. Kore.
“That's the role of the board and we set the strategies at the top level and we guide the management and their team to drive it. We are not here to do your job, we are not here to replicate anything, we are here to provide direction and leadership,” said Chairman Tuaim.
Mr Tuaim said the country depends on the extractive industries. The MRA is an important entity that regulates the exploitation of the country’s natural resources for the economic well-being and prosperity of the nation. “This authority needs to get the prominence, attention and the direction that it deserves, and to be without a board for four years is not good enough,” said Mr Tuaim.
The Chairman said there was a need to better regulate the mining industry and that’s where the board comes in. He said that the MRA deals with the private sector and with an industry that is well equipped, well-resourced and well financed. He said if the MRA was to effectively regulate the mining industry, it (MRA) had to match the industry or be better. That is where the board comes in to set strategies and direction for the organization.
He challenged the staff and management to step up and perform their roles to meet the expectations of the authority, the industry, the government and the country.

Mr Tuaim speaking at the swearing-in ceremony today.

PRESS RELEASE

GOOD GOVERNANCE, TRANSPARENCY AND ACCOUNTIBILITY ARE THE PILLARS OF ORGANISATIONS: MR KORE

The Acting Managing Director of the Mineral Resources Authority (MRA), Harry Kore, has said good governance, transparency and accountability are important pillars of an organization.
Mr Kore said this today during the swearing-in ceremony of new Board Directors (see separate story with names of the new directors) of the MRA in Port Moresby. The swearing-in of the new directors comes after four years of operations without a board.
“This is an important step in restoring essential institutional mechanism that undertakes accountability continuity and strategic discipline within the Mineral Resource Authority,” said Mr Kore.

For over four years, the absence of a functioning board had left a critical governance gap within one of PNG's most important regulatory institutions. While management has continued to carry out its responsibilities, good governance practice reminds us that management ex*****on and board oversight are not interchangeable. They are complementary pillars of institutional strength. One cannot fully substitute the other. The re-constitution of the MRA Board therefore, is the deliberate reaffirmation that governance matters, that stewardship matters, and that institutions entrusted with managing the nation's mineral wealth must themselves be governed with discipline, independence, and foresight.

The Board is re-established at a time when the MRA is going through a merger and transition period.
The former Department of Mural Policy and Geo Hazard Management is currently being merged into the MRA through NEC number 240 of 2025. This institutional alignment as directed by the government, requires the full support from the Board to ensure that the intended objectives of the merger are successfully realized. At the same time, the MRA continues to advance its commitment towards the ISO 27001 accreditation, in addition to the digitization of systems and procedures, which requires rigorous standards in document integrity, information security, and organizational control.

In this context, the restoration of the board oversight becomes even more significant. Strong systems require strong governance, accreditation requires accountability. And institutional trust requires both. If people don't trust us, we have a problem. From a governance perspective, there are three compelling reasons why the board's reconstitution is both necessary and timely.
1. The board restores strategic stewardness, an institution of MRA’s significance requires more than operational management. It requires an independent body to set direction, challenge assumption, test strategy choices and ensure additions align with board statutory mandate and national interest.
2. The board strengthens institutional disciplinary and oversight. In an environment where compliance, data security, and regulatory credibility are increasingly scrutinized, the board provides the highest level of assurance that internal controls, risk management systems, and governance framework are functioning effectively and responsibly.
3. The board reinforces institutional and external confidence. Whether for government, investors, industry, stakeholders, landowners, or the PNG public, confidence in MRA depends not only on what the authority delivers, but on how it is governed. A functioning board signals stability, accountability, and organizational maturity.

The effectiveness of the board will determine not only how MRA performs, but more importantly, how MRA can navigate the opportunities and responsibilities of PNG’s mineral future. It will also determine how effectively MRA can expand its functions, venture into new horizons, and sustain PNG’s mining potential.

As an institution, we look forward with renewed purpose and aspiration to be an authority, defined by accountability and trust. One that better serves our people by promoting PNG's natural resource potential, strengthening our resource sovereignty, and maximizing the benefit flow from our resource wealth.

PRESS RELEASE

MRA BOARD SWORN-IN

The Mineral Resources Authority (MRA) has new Board of Directors.
They are:
1. Mr. Harry Kore, Director, (MRA),
2. Mr. Jude Tukuliya, Director (CEPA),
3. Mr. Donald Hehona, Alternate Director (Treasury Department) (absent)
4. Mr. Steven Nukuitu, Alternate Director, (Finance Department) (absent)
5. Mr. Roger Kara, Alternate Director (National Planning & Monitoring Department),
6. Mr. John Tuaim, Board Chairman.

Three non-ex officio directors, one from PNGCORE, another from the PNG Business (PNGBC) Council, and an independent PNG Business person are yet to be appointed. PNGCORE has nominated a candidate and is pending approval while PNGBC is yet to nominate a rep. Four people have applied for the independent (PNG Business man) Director’s position. The applications are going through the government’s appointments process.

The six directors were sworn-in today in Port Moresby, during a special ceremony witnessed by the Mining Minister Hon Solen Loifa, Ministerial and MRA staff, representatives of PNG Chamber of Resources & Energy (PNGCORE) and other stakeholders.
Minister Loifa said during the swearing-in ceremony, that the occasion marked an important milestone in the MRA’s history. He said the MRA had been without the board for almost four years, adding that a board is a critical body that provides strategic leadership and good governance for organizations like MRA.

The Minister said the swearing-in of the directors was timely as the former Department of Mineral Policy & Geohazards Management (DMPGM), and MRA were going through a merger process and that the board had a critical part to play in over-seeing the whole process.
He challenged the new board directors to deliver for the organization and the country.

“It's not just sitting on a board and carrying the title as the board member or the board chairman. The country and the organization require your technical expertise, your skills and your leadership ability in providing a strategic direction for MRA.”
The Minister said that it was his firm belief that with the caliber of leadership the chairman and the directors bring, the MRA would be able to find a new direction and become a model organization in the country.

FROM A CASUAL WORKER TO A UNIVERSITY GRADUATE

Jayson Inau’s journey is a powerful reminder that determination, resilience, and patience can transform even the most uncertain beginnings into meaningful success.

On April 17, 2026, at the Taraka Campus in Lae, Jayson proudly graduated with a Bachelor’s degree in Geomatics (GIS) from the School of Surveying and Land Studies at the Papua New Guinea University of Technology. He was one of only ten graduates in this specialized field—a reflection of both the course’s rigor and its importance.

Geomatics (GIS) is a niche discipline designed for professionals working with geographic information systems and database management. The program combines academic theory with hands-on application, delivered in two modes: a Distance Learning component, allowing students to study while employed, and an intensive Residential Program where up to 70% of learning is practical. Jayson successfully completed this demanding four-year program within the expected timeframe—no small achievement for someone balancing work and study.

But his story did not begin in a lecture hall.
After completing his secondary education at Port Moresby Grammar School, Jayson faced a reality familiar to many young Papua New Guineans: limited opportunities and uncertain direction. With no clear pathway into higher education, he sought employment at the “Mining Haus,” home of the Mineral Resources Authority (MRA). Like many others, he was initially turned away—lacking the formal qualifications typically required.
Yet Jayson refused to walk away.
Recognizing his persistence and willingness to work, the MRA offered him a casual position in its library. His tasks were simple—filing documents, archiving records, and handling odd jobs—but he approached each responsibility with commitment. What seemed like a small opportunity became the foundation of something much greater.

In time, a semi-permanent role opened up within MRA as a Data Compiler. This position involved digitizing geochemical data from exploration reports—work that introduced Jayson to Geographic Information Systems (GIS) for the first time. What began as curiosity quickly grew into passion.
With limited formal training at first, Jayson took it upon himself to learn. He started with basic GIS software like MapInfo and gradually progressed to more advanced platforms such as ArcGIS. He made the most of MRA’s internal training programs, learning from experienced professionals who helped sharpen his technical skills. Through persistence and self-discipline, he transformed himself from a casual worker into a capable and knowledgeable GIS practitioner.
Still, Jayson understood that experience alone was not enough. To grow professionally and access greater opportunities, he needed formal qualifications. This realization led him to apply for the Geomatics program.
The journey was far from easy.
His application for sponsorship through MRA was rejected not once, but twice. Many would have given up—but not Jayson. On his third attempt, his determination paid off. He was finally granted sponsorship, opening the door to university education and a future he had long worked toward.
Behind this perseverance was also a deeply personal turning point.
Jayson’s mother, Mrs.Antonia Inau, recalls a difficult period during his time at school when he nearly faced expulsion due to disciplinary issues. It was a moment that deeply concerned her, but instead of giving up on her son, she offered him simple yet powerful advice: “The future is in your hands.”
Those words stayed with Jayson. They became a quiet source of motivation, guiding him to complete his secondary education in 2013 and eventually pursue a better path.
Today, that transformation is complete.

According to MRA’s Managing Director, Harry Kore, Jayson’s achievement is not only personal but institutional. His graduation qualifies him as a GIS Specialist—one of the key professionals responsible for mapping, data management, and spatial analysis within the organization. With his inclusion, MRA now has four GIS Specialists supporting its critical operations.
Mr. Kore also highlighted that Jayson’s journey represents more than individual success—it was, in many ways, an experiment. MRA wanted to see whether investing in and developing talent from within its casual workforce could produce meaningful results. Jayson’s story has proven that it can.

From filing papers in a library to becoming a qualified GIS Specialist, Jayson Inau’s path is a testament to what can happen when opportunity meets determination. His story stands as an inspiration—not just to young people seeking direction, but to organizations willing to believe in potential.
It shows that success does not always begin with perfect circumstances. Sometimes, it begins with a single chance—and the courage to keep going, no matter how many times the door closes.

PHOTO: (L-R) MRA staff Mr Wilfred Moi, graduate Jayson Inau, his Branch Manager Mr Arnold Lakamanga, MRA's Training Coordinator Mr George Kami, and Jayson's father Mr Celestine Auirap, after the graduation ceremony at Unitech.

A pictorial collection of the recent Ok Tedi Mining Project CDA Signing.