‘Kavango oil drilling leaves trail of pain’ 22 October 2021

MICHAEL Kufuna grew up outside Mbambi, deep in the Kavango West region, not far from the Angolan border. Even after his family moved from the plot to be closer to water supply, they returned to his childhood fields to grow their crops. His family history there goes back 35 years.
Then one day, their fields are taken over by heavy equipment, part of a search for oil that communities say is sidelining their interests in one of the world's last great unspoilt ecosystems. “We just saw the machinery set up before we could do anything about it,” he says. “The way they did things was very strategic. They informed the headwoman one day, and the next day the work commenced.” Kufuna's fields are part of the communal area for which Namibia has granted Canadian company ReconAfrica the rights to explore for oil.

…But Dominica Sindimba says only a few people in the communities were informed about the drilling. “They were not here to consult, and we were only later informed they had found oil,” she says. “The community wants money and employment. This place is poor.” Regional government authorities say they have been kept in the dark too. Local official Damiana Hausiku says the Ministry of Environment, Forestry and Tourism held numerous meetings – but did not invite them…After drilling a well at Kawe, Hausiku says ReconAfrica simply left a giant open hole in the middle of the grasslands, without warnings or any indication of whether it would be filled. “If they left that hole open, what is next?” he asks. ReconAfrica isn't naive about the community relations problem. The company employed Alois Gende, a former Popular Democratic Movement politician, to sell the project.

…ReconAfrica's activities in Namibia have caused global concern. A series of six National Geographic articles published since last year has highlighted serious concerns, including the possibility of groundwater pollution, and a lack of community consultation in accordance with Namibian law. A whistleblower says the company has misled its own investors in violation of United States (US) law, and that ReconAfrica was working without the required water permits…ReconAfrica spokesperson Ndapewoshali Shapwanale yesterday said the company has not moved any people from their land, homesteads, or crop fields. She said none of their oil and gas exploration activities have taken place or are taking place in any crop fields. ReconAfrica said it held various community consultation meetings during the environmental impact assessment process, and prior to drill-rig establishment. “These consultations detailled the project scope and job recruitment process for community labourers required to establish the drill rig,” Shapwanale said. She insisted that ReconAfrica employs a local-first approach in its recruitment process. This is contrary to the findings of a parliamentary standing committee which says ReconAfrica is not living up to its promises. The company is disputing allegations that it has failed to deliver jobs