Don’t give up because You will participate in the oil industry, Hoima City Mayor assures Youth
HOIMA - Hoima City Mayor, Mr Brian Kaboyo, has challenged the youth in Hoima and the Albertine region in general to change their attitude about the oil industry if they are to benefit from emerging opportunities.
He notes that many youths seem to be demoralized hoping that the oil industry is far away from them yet it has already tested to generate many business and employment opportunities.
Mr Kaboyo was addressing more than 100 participants at a stakeholder engagement meeting organised by Oranto Petroleum Uganda Limited in partnership with Kitara Development Initiative (KITADI) in Hoima city.
“Some people still don’t believe that they can also participate in the industry yet things are unfolding and opportunities are being taken,” he said. The mayor identifies the need to interest teachers and learners on the importance of embracing vocational training to ensure that the young people can attain the relevant skills.
“Gone are the days when those in vocational schools were looked at as failures. It can make you self-employed and employ others. Skills like welding, carpentry, driving, building and construction are among those that have helped many youth from the Albertine region to get employment in the oil industry,” he said.
Mr Kaboyo also called upon Oranto Petroleum to always give the first chance to the local people for labour and other supplies before looking for such from other parts of the country.
Nigerian firm Oranto Petroleum Limited (OPL) held open dialogues with stakeholders as it moves to start drilling its Ngassa Exploration block on Lake Albert in Hoima district.
During a stakeholders engagement at HB Hotel in Hoima City , Abdu Byakagaba, the OPL General Manager, said engagements which are part of conditions in the license, helps them to understand community needs and adhere to them during the drilling and to ensure a win-win situation.
He said the-engagements are also meant to identify opportunities, health and safety and environmental regulations and how fishing activities will be managed.
Ngassa block which was initially part of Exploration Area Two (EA2) licensed to Tullow Oil, is covered with good quality 2D and 3D seismic data acquired between 2003 and 2008.
The block is immediately north of the China National Offshore Oil Corporation (CNOOC) Uganda Limited operated Kingfisher field, which is accessed in part through the Kaiso-Tonya road.
Based on limited data that was acquired at that time, Ngassa was relinquished to the government since they needed more time to acquire more data to understand the field but the exploration license had expired.
Government, therefore, considered Ngassa block for licensing during the first open bidding licensing round.
OPL was awarded a license as part of an approved work plan by the Petroleum Authority of Uganda as the regulator in 2017. The four-year long license had each two-year stratigraphic operation for Shallow Play and Deep Play areas in the block. The first expired in October 2019 and was renewed the same year.
This allowed the company to reprocess existing seismic data, acquire new seismic data, geophysical, geological and feasibility studies for drilling. Byakagaba said the two-year license which has been extended following COVID-19 disruptions in 2020, necessitates that they have to drill at least one exploration well before 2023.
Byakagaba added that based on the information and the sensitivity of the block, they plan to drill offshore but using the best technology and practices to ensure minimal environmental footprint to the lake.
Byakagaba said OPL has to do an Environmental and Social Impact Assessment (ESIA) which will have to be approved by National Environmental Management Authority (NEMA) before the start of any activity. The ESIA, he said, identifies all risks and possible mitigation measures.
Meanwhile, residents expressed fears that their drilling activities might cause pollution of the water due to oil spills, make fishing impossible and ruin lives of people who derive their livelihood from the lake.
Responding to the concerns he said they would not disrupt the entire lake but rather a small portion of it but with strict adherence to internationally approved best practices.
Byakagaba said the stage they are on will determine the quality and quantity of oil beneath and inform next production phases.
Vaita Insingoma, the Executive Director for Kitara Development Initiative (KITADI) which organised the stakeholders’ engagement in partnership with OPL, urged residents to cooperate with the oil firm as it executes its mandate and prepare enough to tap business opportunities it would present.
Sam Mugisa, the social affairs coordinator at petroleum authority of Uganda, said with drilling there are a myriad of opportunities including, jobs and supply of goods and services.
“Build your capacity now and forever to also benefit from business opportunities in the entire sector under national content,” Mugisa added.
