UGANDA: Oil bill delayed further as MPs go for recess

By Monitor Reporter

Deputy Speaker of Parliament Jacob Oulanyah has referred the Oil Bill back to the Committee of Natural Resources to reconcile positions on various amendments regarding the management of the oil sector being proposed by legislators.

Mr Oulanyah ruled on Thursday that since most members had amendments to propose, the committee ought to consider all of them so that the Petroleum Exploration, Development and Production Bill is presented when all the amendments have been discussed.

Legislators on the Parliamentary Forum on Oil and Gas say both the bill and the Natural Resources Committee report do not address the most critical issues like waste management, powers given to the energy minister, responsibilities of the National Environment Management Authority and the National Oil Company.

Members who attended the caucus but spoke on condition of anonymity said government wants the minister of energy to retain powers that are provided for in the current bill, which position is opposed by members.

The legislators also say government also does not want the intervention of Parliament into operations in the sector and the National Oil Company, but MPs insist that the legislature retains its oversight role over management of the sector.

Lwemiyaga MP Theodore Ssekikubo proposed that management of oil waste should entirely be the responsibility of oil companies. The oil bill in it’s present form recommends contracting companies to manage the waste.

MPs claim that Speaker Oulanyah only deferred the matter to give government more time to persuade NRM members to pass the bill in its current form.

Mr Oulanyah sent Parliament on recess till October 30.

Source: Saturday Monitor (13/10/2012): http://www.monitor.co.ug/News/National/Oil+bill+delayed+further+as+MPs+go+for+recess/-/688334/1531448/-/g8xptj/-/index.html