Nigerian cleric warns Uganda over oil curse

By John Odyek

Rev Father Edward Obi, a leading civil society activists fighting against the effects of the oil curse in Nigeria has warned Uganda that since oil has been discovered Ugandans are not safe from the negative effects the resource brings.


Obi, the National Coordinator National Coalition on Gas Flaring and Oil Spills in the Niger Delta said Ugandans have been looking at Nigeria and sympathising with the oil conflicts and problems it faced such as oil spills, exploitation by big oil companies, violence and deaths.


“What you saw in Nigeria might happen in Uganda. With oil there is no safe distance from the wreckage. You are now part of the wreckage,” said Obi.

The cleric was addressing members of the Inter-Religious Council of Uganda at Speke Resort, Munyonyo.
The meeting was organized by the Global Rights Alert and the United Nations Development Programme.


“Natural resources are a source of tension politically, socially and economically. This tension arises out of the fact that some areas are more endowed than others and some communities are more affected than others,” said Obi also executive secretary of the Niger Delta Catholic Bishop’s Forum.


He said the Niger Delta has three oil refineries which have made the region to suffer air pollution, oil spills and the environment has been degraded.

The clergyman said they were concerned that the majority of the Niger Delta people still suffer poverty, poor infrastructure, illiteracy and disease despite the large endowments of petroleum in the region.
 

He said oil killed the lucrative palm oil and cocoa sectors in Nigeria as people abandoned them but got worse livelihoods.
“Oil money is easy money, you must watch out. The Middle East is in turmoil because of oil, it is the struggle to control oil and not religion at the center of the conflicts,” Obi explained.
 

He said oil was a deplete-able resource and so greed rises as those in position rush to accumulate wealth quickly out of it before it runs out.
 

“The oil sector employs a few people who are paid highly to retain them and guard secrets of the sector. They will shop in the same market with ordinary people and can afford a whole supermarket, this creates an unnatural economy,” Obi cautioned.
 

He said the best way for oil to become a blessing was to create chain of industries such as plastics, shoes which use by products of oil and can employ large numbers.

He said related oil industries should be controlled by nationals and not oil companies.
 

Winfred Ngabiirwe, executive director Global Rights Alert said the laity expects religious leaders to guide them on issues of oil and gas. 

Ngabiirwe said the religious groups provide services to people such as health, education and these could be funded by oil proceeds.
 

“When there are challenges of mismanagement in the extractive sector people expect religious leaders to intervene. But religious leaders need empowerment on issues of the extractive sector. Religious leaders have limitations on discussing petroleum, they lack information, they need exposure and encouragement to participate,” Ngabiirwe said
 

Edward Ssekandi, vice president who closed the meeting said: “I pray that the role of religion in nation building becomes stronger which will insulate Uganda against unnecessary conflicts and disharmony”.
 

Ssekandi said government supports the unity religious groups bring and through them peace, harmony respect for one another trickles down to ordinary people.
He said Ugandans trust the leadership provided by religious leaders and what they stand for.
 

Jonah Lwanga Archbishop of the Uganda Orthodox Church and chairperson Inter-Religious Council of Uganda said they have made input in the ongoing development of the oil sector.
 

“We are actively seeking appointment with President Yoweri Museveni to bring to his attention our concerns in the oil sector, particularly on transparency and accountability issues and community issues,” Lwanga said.
 

According to the ministry of energy Uganda’s Petroleum resources are now estimated to be 6.5 billion barrels of oil initially in place. This is up from 3.5 billion barrels that was estimated in August 2012.

500 billion cubic feet of non-associated gas (independent gas) is also now estimated to have been discovered in Uganda to date.

This translates to about 90 million barrels of oil equivalent.

The ministry said of this estimated 6.5 billion barrels of oil in place, 1.4 billion barrels of oil are estimated to be recoverable.
Previously, recoverable oil was estimated at 1.2 billion barrels of oil equivalent from 3.5 billion barrels of oil equivalent initially in place.  

The reduction in the ratio between the oil in place and recoverable oil is mainly due to an improved understanding of the nature of the petroleum reservoirs in Uganda through the appraisal work undertaken on each of the discoveries.
 

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