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Minister Pruaitch launches PNGFA five-year Corporate Plan
National Forest Board
Chairman Valentine Kambori
presenting a copy of the new
Corporate Plan to then
Minister for Forests Hon.
Patrick Pruaitch. |
THE forestry sector currently contributes about K350-K400 million in foreign exchange earning to the country’s gross domestic product, and K120-K130 million in export duty to internal revenue.
In 2006, the total log harvest was 3,389 million cubic metres and provided more than K34 million in timber royalties to the landowners. Export of round logs totaled 2.638 million cubic metres, earning K490 million in foreign exchange, and K168 million in export duty to internal revenue.
Patrick Pruaitch revealed this figures in his capacity as Minister for Forests when he officially launched the Papua New Guinea Forest Authority Corporate Plan for 2007-2012 on Friday, August 24th, 2007 at the PNGFA Headquarters in Port Moresby.
The forest sector in PNG has in the last three decades depended very much on wood supplied from natural forests. However, much of PNG’s accessible commercial forest areas have been allocated and are being harvested.
Minister Pruaitch said that the forestry sector is still one of the key players in bringing tangible development to rural and less developed areas throughout the country. |
He added that the forestry sector contributes to the economic well-being of the rural population, provides employment, establishes infrastructures such as roads and bridges, and provides community services such as schools, health, communications, and transport services that otherwise had never existed in many of our rural areas.
Mr Pruaitch said that the above contributions have been very significant to the nation’s building in the last 30 years of independence, and this can continue into the future if our forest resources, being a renewable resource, is wisely used and managed in a sustainable manner.
He added that PNG in the medium term will continue to face economic, environmental, social issues and challenges as a developing nation. Forestry will continue its role as a key player in the nation’s development programs.
“These issues and challenges cannot be adequately addressed unless there are goals and objectives that are translated into action plans which are appropriately funded; this is the purpose of this Corporate Plan,” Minister Pruaitch said.
“The plan intends to make the Forest Authority more efficient and responsive to its core business and its clients.
“Strategic policy and operational areas that will be strengthened include: Corporate planning and management; field services in the provinces and project areas; forest development through plantations and management of logged-over areas in partnership with landowners; strategic research programs that will achieve sustainable forest management; and Corporate response to collaborate with private sector and other agencies on environment and climate change initiatives.
Mr Pruaitch said that the Corporate Plan provides the strategic overview and directions for the next five years and will be continually reviewed to ensure that it is in line with the government’s development policies and the needs of the people, particularly the resource owners.
In attendance to witness the occasion were members of parliament, the heads of diplomatic corp and heads of government departments and statutory bodies as well as NFS staff.
Minister Pruaitch said during the launching that the five-year corporate plan provides the strategic directions for the Forest Authority for the next five years. These new directions have been developed to recognize changes that are occurring locally, regionally and internationally particularly, in the timber trade and climate change.
Minister Pruaitch said that the Corporate Plan also compliments and attempts to translate the government’s 2005-2010 Medium Term Development Strategy, which aims to improve the national economy through increased export income hence enable the government to improve infrastructure, social services, and reduce poverty levels particularly in the rural areas.
New corporate plan to improve PNGFA efficiency: MD Pouru
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IT IS Managing Director Kanawi Pouru’s vision that PNG Forest Authority will be customer focused with improved service delivery, efficient, cost effective and maximizing productivity with the recent launching of the PNG Forest Authority (PNGFA) Corporate Plan 2007-2012.
Speaking during the plan launch on August 24th, 2007 in Port Moresby, Mr Pouru said that it is also his vision that PNGFA will have a proud reputation and provide strong leadership and management in a complex natural resource that can continue to contribute to the social and economic well being of the nation. That PNGFA employees are recognized for their individual capability and work as a team, unafraid of extending their ability; building reputation and honesty, fair minded and result-oriented.
The managing director said that the purpose of the corporate plan is to reaffirm: | Mr. Pouru speaking during
the launching.
- The core objectives and functions of the authority as laid down in the Forestry Act 1991 and amended from time to time;
- The development and management strategies relating to resource management, forest industry development, forest research, forestry training and development, and forest administration, that are enshrined in the 1991 National Forest Policy; and
- Give a sense of direction to the activities and strategies that the authority will pursue in order to support and implement the government’s economic and social development agenda through IT medium term development strategies.
Mr Pouru said that PNGFA’s mission is: “to secure forest resources (natural and plantation) and facilitate their utilization on a sustainable basis, for the social and economic benefit of the people of PNG.
He added that in this plan, the functions and core business of PNGFA will continue to focus on resource acquisition, allocation, development, and management of the natural forest resources as long as the resource owners are willing to transfer timber rights to the state for commercial forestry operations.
The managing director said: “given the changing trends in future resource security, government development policies, global timber trade, and the impacts of climate change, the core business of the Forest Authority need revisiting and adjustments.
In that respect, and during the term of this plan, Mr Pouru said that forest plantation development will be given close attention particularly, increasing plantable areas within the vicinity of existing plantation areas; management of logged over areas; downstream processing; forest research will be more focused and result oriented; and forest administration – working towards an autonomous regulatory/commercial organization.
Mr Pouru said that given the aforementioned, it will be a challenging time ahead for the authority, but the Corporate Plan will provide the path-way that PNGFA may focus its limited resources to achieve its set objectives.
The plan will also ensure the authority meets its obligations under the Forestry Act, and provide a way forward to develop partnership among PNGFA’s stakeholders including government agencies, the private sector, and resource owners in participating in the sustainable development and management of the country’s resources, the managing director said.
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