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Kampala, Uganda | THE INDEPENDENT | Residents and leaders in the oil-rich Buliisa district are demanding for the establishment of a Vocational Training Institute to enable them to acquire knowledge and skills to work in the oil and gas industry.
Both leaders and locals in the district say that although the resource was discovered, there is no effort being made by both the government and the oil companies to ensure that they acquire the essential skills to work in the sector. The locals accuse the government of deliberately locking them out of oil related jobs.
The jobs in the sector relate to tasks in exploring oil and gas fields, extracting natural resources, and refining. Some of the jobs for the tasks include drilling engineers, energy engineers, engineering geologists, geochemists, geoscientists, hydrographic surveyors, mining engineers, rig mechanics, welders, mud loggers, electronic technicians, petroleum engineers, and geologists among others.
Godwin Kamanyire, a resident of Butiaba landing site says most residents in the area do not have the required skills and experience to work in the oil and gas sector, but once a vocational institute is availed to them, it will be easier for some of them and their children to attain the necessary skills.
Justine Nyamaizi, another resident says that although many of them would want to acquire vocational training for the long list of jobs in the sector, they have no skilling centre and no effort is being made to ensure that they acquire the skills.
Lawrence Baitwaki, a resident of Uduk II in Ngwedu sub-county says it is paramount for the locals to also attain the knowledge and skills required by employers in the natural gas industry, instead of jobs going to foreign nationals and people from other parts of the country.
Norah Bigirwa Nyendwoha, the Buliisa district Woman Member of Parliament says the government should plan and train future workers particularly for jobs that are rapidly changing because of technological advancements in the oil and gas industry.
Simon Agaba Kinene, the Buliisa district chairperson attributes the distress to high expectations that the residents had in the oil and gas sector. He challenges the government and oil companies to ensure that local people are trained and skilled.
Francis Elungat, the coordinator oil and gas in the Energy Ministry says that currently, it is difficult for the government to construct Vocational Training Institutes with oil and gas related courses in each district in the Albertine graben but calls on the residents to get enrolled in the few available Institutes citing the Uganda Petroleum Institute Kigumba-UPIK so that they can attain the necessary skills to work in the sector.
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