Minister for Lands and Mineral Resources Filimoni Vosarogo. [Photo: FILE]

Minister for Lands and Mineral Resources Filimoni Vosarogo has welcomed the Ministry’s budget allocation for the 2026-2027 financial year, saying it is close to the amount requested by the Ministry.

The Ministry of Lands and Mineral Resources has been allocated $37.1 million in the 2026-2027 National Budget.

Vosarogo says the Ministry is pleased with the allocation, noting that while there were some reductions in certain areas, funding for the underground water programme received a slight increase.

He says the additional funding for groundwater initiatives is a significant boost as it directly benefits communities at the grassroots level.

“We’ve had some cuts in some areas, but we asked for an increase, and we received a slight increase in relation to our underground water programme. For us, this is a huge relief because it is the part of our Ministry’s work that directly touches the grassroots of our communities.”

Vosarogo says the Ministry’s groundwater assessment and development programme plays a critical role in ensuring access to clean and safe drinking water, improved sanitation and better hygiene for communities.

Under the new budget, the Mineral Resources Department will continue work on 111 groundwater sites for investigation and assessment, with 88 sites targeted for drilling, development and ongoing reticulation works.

The Ministry will also continue work on key legislative reviews, including the State Lands Act, Land Use Act, Mining Act and Quarries Act, aimed at improving transparency, accountability and sustainable resource management.

Other priority areas include land reform initiatives, digitisation of lease administration processes, surveying mahogany plantations, and offshore geological mapping and surveys.