BREAKING NEWS: Oil agreements to remain secret

The Minister of Energy and Minerals Development, Hilary Onek, has just told the Dow Jones Newswires that Uganda cannot make their oil exploration and production sharing agreements available due to confidentiality clauses with foreign companies. This is an interesting development as one of the oil companies operating in Uganda, Tullow Oil, had always maintained that it was a Government decision not to make the documents available. It now appears that the decision is at least mutual.

Onek told the wires that as each company is operating under different circumstances and arrived at different times it would not be appropriate to make the agreements available. The FDC has been leading a vocal campaign to have the contracts opened up for all Ugandans to see. They have argued that until that happens suspicion will remain over the extent to which Uganda might benefit from the discoveries.

Post a comment

Bookmark

Email this

Comments (6) Add Comment

Subscribe to this comment's feed

UGANDA DOES NOT HAVE OIL!
written by free, August 11, 2009

How long will this talk about oil, oil agreements, refineries, etc take? Here is what I think. Uganda does not have oil deposits. Rather individuals beginning with Museveni, his family, relatives, some army officers and a few others have oil deposits, located in Bunyoro and other parts which lie in certain part of a fictitious country called Uganda. I strongly believe and am convinced that these locations are part of the private property of this business group. So, if the concrete country called Uganda had oil deposits why would there be these bloody secrets about the deal taking this long?

...
written by Leu A. Summit, August 11, 2009

What is interesting and disappointing about Ugandans is the practise of continuing to debate issues that have already been concluded by political dictators, knowing very well that those discussions will never amount to anything. There is a tendency to hope against hope that by merely talking, the mind of the dictator(s) will change. Let us find other ways that are more effective to turn around situations, otherwise we should acknowledge that the dictator(s) have got the upper hand.

Why
written by Norman, August 11, 2009

there is alot tp learn from the past
Uganda had it's natural resources which made it develop to where it has reached and now why does the political leaders try to make the resources decline l cry for my country

oil
written by muna, August 11, 2009

Waama Mr Kaguta don't tell them about your property. Why do people keep poking their ...... in matters that do not concern them.

My advise is: throw a few of them in the nick, then no one will bother you.

Surprising some people think Museveni is right! I think there is something wrong with me.
Muna

The government will not win in the end
written by Sam Mulokole, August 11, 2009

Uganda's New Vision of June 26th 2003 page 26 carried a story that I pinned up on my wall and hangs there todate reading: "Oil bonanza poses danger"
Ugandans who hitherto are known for being soft are likely to awaken to realities of their loss and will without doubt cause trouble to our otherwise hospitable nation.
Eventually when the governement realises their determination will open up and attempt to share equitably the national resources. But before that, Oil refineries and pipelines would have been bombed and billions that could have built hospitals and roads lost.
I am a prophet and what I have said will come to pass.

Tutotr
written by Jonathan, August 12, 2009

The oil belongs to Uganda, not the companies doing exploration or the government. Government conducts business in the interests of all its people. Time will tell if government was sincere or not. We need to know what is hapening or what will happen. How will the proceeds be shared? God help Uganda.