Attorney General warns on oil laws

The Attorney General has cautioned Parliament against rushing through laws related to management of the oil and gas sector.

 

Nyombi warned that without careful scrutiny and consultancy, some loopholes may not be identified which he said are likely to lead to a crisis in the country.

 

Nyombi sounded the caution after the parliamentary ad-hoc committee on the regularisation of the oil and gas sector demanded that his chambers submit to Parliament laws that will govern the exploration, development and production of petroleum. 

 

MPs gave the Attorney General 30 days from October 11, to submit the laws that will provide the legal framework for the sector.

 

“You should bring these Bills so that they can be passed. We have seen Bills being passed in Parliament in just a matter of days or hours. You were given 30 days in which to bring these laws. We need them urgently,” Michael Werikhe, the committee chairman, told the Attorney General. 

 

Werikhe disclosed that Parliament was under pressure to have the relevant laws in place.

 

He urged Nyombi to ensure that the Bills are ready for scrutiny and approval when the House reconvenes after recess.

However, Nyombi told the committee that Parliament needed to get experts in the oil and gas sector to educate the legislators on the oil industry before debating the Bills.

 

This, he said, would equip the MPs with knowledge regarding oil, its exploration, refining and management.

“We are dealing with a very important sector. If we rush we might end up passing bad laws, much as we want them passed,” he advised.

 

Nyombi disclosed that the Bills were still being studied by the Cabinet before they could be presented to Parliament.

The Petroleum sector in Uganda is currently being regulated by two legislations which include the Petroleum (exploration and Production) Act and the Petroleum (conduct of exploration operations) regulations, 1993.