By Sophan Niwamanya
apearlnews.com
The minister of energy and mineral development, Ruth Nankabirwa Ssentamu, has cautioned religious leaders to desist from foreign opportunists tarnishing oil and gas projects in Uganda.
Minister Nankabirwa was yesterday addressing the House of Bishops of the Church of Uganda led by Archbishop Steven Kazimba Mugalu about the developments and opportunities in Uganda’s oil and gas sector held at Bushara Island in Kitumba sub-county Kabale district.
Minister Nankabirwa revealed that some opportunists have been spreading wrong information in the communities aimed at tarnishing the oil and gas sector. She stated that the meeting’s purpose is to share information about the current state of the oil and gas industry.
NGOs (Non-Governmental Organisations) that thought that the industry would be derailed should now know that we have left no stone unturned to ensure that our biodiversity concerns are well addressed.
She clarified that those whose land and properties were destroyed by the government will be able to compensate them, though there may be delays in compensation.
She noted that it’s the first meeting she’s had with religious leaders, and that she will continue to engage other religious faiths. She called on religious leaders to disseminate positive information to Christians.
Nankabirwa wants to accelerate the schedule for the first oil from TotalEnergies’ Tilenga and CNOOC International’s Kingfisher oilfields.
She said key goals will be to ensure social issues related to land acquisition and population displacement do not hold up the project timeline that currently foresees the first oil flowing in early 2025.
Mr. Ernest Rubondo, the Executive Director at the Petroleum Authority of Uganda (PAU), revealed that money that comes from the oil and gas sector goes to the petroleum fund and the government uses it to develop infrastructure.
The Archbishop of the Church of Uganda, Rev. Dr. Steven Kazimba Mugalu, said that it was a privilege they learned from the presentation by the minister how Christians will benefit from the oil and gas sector being put in place in the country.
He added they have been equipped with knowledge about the gas and oil sectors and how they will, along the way, fight to ensure that people will benefit accordingly and be able to fight corruption.
