The Papua New Guinea Extractive Industries Transparency Initiative (PNGEITI) has thanked outgoing Mineral Resource Authority Managing Director Mr. Philip Samar for his contribution to the PNGEITI at the Multi Stakeholder Group (MSG) level, the oversight body for EITI implementation in PNG.

Mr. Samar’s terms expired on the 9th of April, 2018, after taking charge of the country’s mining regulator (MRA) for the past six years.

“We thank Mr. Samar for his strong support for EITI activities and wish him every success in his next career move” PNGEITI Head of National Secretariat” Mr. Lucas Alkan said.

Mr. Alkan said Mr. Samar’s contribution at (MSG) level in his capacity as Managing Director of MRA was valuable.

“Mr. Samar represented MRA well at the MSG and on behalf the members of the MSG I thank him for his valuable contribution to EITI implementation in this country-especially when EITI was at its infantry stages” Mr. Alkan said.

“The considerable progress we’ve made so far in implementing EITI in this country speaks of the utilization of combined expertise and advise of leaders like Mr. Samar at the MSG pool” Mr. Alkan.

“I’ve also observed that MRA has been able to progress work in promoting transparency in terms of publishing data relating to how much mining activities contributed to the economy and we’d like to see more of this” Mr. Alkan said.

“As Philip makes his exit, we hope to welcome a new MRA representative at the PNGEITI MSG and we look forward to that” Mr. Alkan said.