The Community Affairs General Manager for Ramu NiCo Eric Kuman is a figure all landowners of the Ramu NiCo nickel and cobalt project in Madang, Papua New Guinea wants to get a closure.
The 59 year old manager is a man of few words, short, sharp and straight to the point to achieve a high level satisfactory result. For Mr Kuman, there is no time for talking because that was not his system of management.
Delivering projects for people in the mining impact project areas keeps his blood pumping because only that gives him more satisfaction than any other thing.
On Thursday, 09 May 2025, Mr Kuman stood before a small crowd of men, women and children, both young and old who gathered in the Daunagari village at the foot of the Kurumbukari Mountains. The Daunagari people were relocated there because of Ramu NiCo’s mining project.
He had visited the village months before and had made a commitment on behalf of Ramu NiCo to connect water to the village.
Mr Kuman’s visit that day was a special one in the Daunagari people’s calendar, the one that they would never forget. It was the day that stopped them from walking for hours to fetch water at Gremgram Mountain which is located far beyond the village.
Mr Kuman stood on the already made and decorated grand stand and smiled to the crowd below. His smile spoke a thousand words before he fixed the actual words into the microphone he was holding for the crowd below to receive.
His heart was swelling with pride and joy as he delivered a short speech, thanking the villagers for cooperating with the water construction team and finally connected water to the village.
He also assured them to deliver more projects to the village if their Landowner Association leaders cooperated and work with good partnership with the Ramu NiCo management.
The opening of the Daunagari water project marked a significant milestone not just for him, but for the entire community. As he prepared to cut the ceremonial ribbon, he could feel an extra ordinary excitement in the air.
The excitement did not go unnoticed, the company media picked that up as well and this is what Mr Kuman revealed.
“You know when you are dealing with communities and hand over projects like this, you see people’s eyes glow,” Mr. Kuman reflected, his voice filled with emotion. “You can see them scream with joy, and when you cut the ribbons, it gives you joy to work with the community and deliver projects that change lives.”
For Mr. Kuman,this project was more than just a job; it was a calling.
Having previously worked at mining industrial area for many years, he had witnessed the transformative power of community projects firsthand. Nothing can be compared to the satisfaction he felt when he used to see the smiles on the faces of the satisfied villagers.
“That brings satisfaction to me personally and I love working in the Community Affairs Department to deliver projects that touch people’s lives,” Mr Kuman said.
The Daunagari water project was a much needed service for the Daunagari people, who had struggled for years to access to clean water. The project promised not only to quench their thirst but also to improve their overall health and well-being.
As the ribbon fell away under the scissors Mr Kuman held with pride, cheers erupted, and the villager children rushed forward to take their first bath from the running water taps, Mr Kuman felt the extra ordinary satisfaction touched his heart.
Mr Kuman is looking forward to do more for the community. He knew that this was just the beginning of a beautiful journey together, the one where every drop of water would nourish not just their bodies, but their dreams for a good future with Ramu NiCo.
