“We want our share”

Prof. Morris Ogenga-Latigo is a Ugandan politician and farmer.  Formerly Leader of Opposition in Parliament, he is now the Chairman of the Acholi Technical Working Committee on Oil and Gas, whose objective is to ensure that the Acholi sub-region gets a fair share of oil benefits..."…It turns out, for example, that the refinery in Hoima will get its crude oil largely from the Jobi oil field in Acholi.  The basic story you hear is that oil is in Bunyoro.  Now it turns out that the refinery in Hoima will get literally more than ninety percent of its oil from one oil field in Acholi.  There are big wells like Jobi, Jobi East, Lyec and Rii which are exclusively in Acholi.  Then we have those that cut across Acholi and Buliisa in Bunyoro like Mpyo and Gunya.  But if the refining level is 60,000 barrels of oil per day, 90 percent of the crude will come from Acholi. And if the refining (capacity) is 120 barrels per day, 90 percent shall still come from Acholi but will now include Jobi and Jobi East Wells.Yet the other entire (planned) oil infrastructure like the Refinery, Central Processing Facilities and the pipelines and pump stations are not in Acholi. Other than just piping of the oil for refining in Hoima and export, there is nothing planned for Acholi.  These raise ownership and exclusion conflicts.  The other aspect is local content: getting our local farmers and business men to supply to the oil companies.  This needs proper institutional support."