Benny Koito had received three awards from Ramu NiCo Management (MCC) Limited (RNML) for his excellent working ethics at Kurumbukari (KBK) Mine site.

Koito is from Enekuai Village next to the KBK mine site in Usino Bundi District of Madang Province.

“The largest Nickel and Cobalt Mine site in the country is next to my community and it is my food garden, for that reason I never miss an hour of my shift,” the proud employee said.

Koito, who recently got promoted to coordinator of 7 excavators and operators at KBK open pit mine, is a long serving Volvo Articulated Dump Truck (ADT) Operator, and an Excavator Operator at the mine site.

In 2017, Koito gained the attention of the mine for his loyalty and dedication while meeting the mines production target for that year and received his first award. In 2019 he received another award from his best performance.

His perseverance and endurance in other fields in his department got him the third award in 2023 and promoted to coordinator level.

“I do my job diligently covering every hour on my shift,” said Koito.

After dropping out from grade 6 in 2006, he left his village and went to live in Madang town searching of a better life. However, with no further education, he couldn’t find a job and joined the informal sector on the streets.

He then returned to his village at Kurumbukari in 2011 where he was interested by driller operators working during the early days of the mine pit.

As an interested young person to learn new things, Koito joined the drillers and worked for 9 months only and went back to the provincial capital again when the drilling ended.

In 2013 the drilling company called him again and he was engaged with them, but he only worked for 6 months and left.

It was until 2014, when he was given a special consideration by RNML Community Affairs Department at Kurumbukari and began training on the job as a heavy equipment operator for light and heavy vehicles in the mine.

He also did several trainings including safety and driving tests proving his skills and confidence were he passed the entire test. For 4 years Koito operated the Volvo (ADT) and later moved to training on how to operate and to fix excavators and loaders.

Now he is the Coordinator of 7 big excavators and 6 operators engaged with the Open Cut Mining Department at RNML’s KBK mine site.

Benny Koito with his Chinese supervisor at the Kurumbukari Open cut mine

Benny Koito