Uganda won’t export unrefined oil, says M7

Mar 07, 2007

UGANDA will not export unrefined oil from the wells which were discovered in Hoima district recently, President Museveni has said.

By Henry Mukasa

UGANDA will not export unrefined oil from the wells which were discovered in Hoima district recently, President Museveni has said.

According to a State House statement, Museveni described the exportation of raw materials as part of slavery in Africa.

“He (Museveni) gave assurance that Uganda is going to ensure that its newly discovered petroleum resource will not suffer from the curse of raw materials for export anymore,” the statement quoted Museveni as saying.

He was speaking at celebrations to mark Libya’s 30th anniversary of the the establishment of people’s authority through the masses on March 2.

Less than eight years after the September revolution on March 2, 1977, Libyans adopted what has become to be known as “the declaration of Sebha”.

The declaration took place in Kahire in the city of Sebha.

President Museveni asserted that Uganda was working with Libya to stop the haemorrhage of Africa caused by the export of unprocessed materials.

He commended the Libyan leader, Col. Muammar Gaddafi, “for his diligent struggle and resistance against selling petroleum oil cheaply in the early 1970s.”

He said the resistance led to the rise of crude oil prices on the international market from 40 cents per barrel in 1971 to $40 in 1973.

The President noted that the struggle led to the massive transfer of money to oil producing countries.

Museveni, who was speaking on behalf of other African leaders at the celebrations - Idris Deby of Chad and Tanja Mamadou of Niger, observed that the major difference between Africa and Europe was that that latter had transformed its society into working and skilled classes.

He commended Gaddafi for the support he gave the protracted people’s liberation struggle of Ugandans led by the NRM.

Meanwhile, President Museveni was on Tuesday among the African heads of state who attended Ghana’s 50th Independence anniversary celebrations at the independence square in the capital, Accra.

The President was accompanied by his wife Janet Museveni.

According to a State House statement, the president of Nigeria, Olusegum Obasanjo, was the chief guest.

The president of Ghana, John Kufuor, said the celebrations were not for Ghana alone but for the whole of Africa.

He said Ghana’s independence changed the outlook and status of the African continent.

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