Gen Wilson Mbasu Mbadi , the Chief of Defence Forces (CDF) has urged the Uganda National Oil Company (UNOC) to spread the knowledge about oil resources across the country and region, adding that ideological clarity strengthens national security.
He made these remarks while chairing a meeting between senior officers from the Uganda Peoples’ Defence Forces (UPDF) and a delegation from the Uganda National Oil Company (UNOC) on September 15, 2023, at the Ministry of Defence and Veteran Affairs Headquarters in Mbuya, Kampala.
The meeting was mainly focused on identifying possible areas of collaboration between the two entities for the success of Uganda’s oil and gas exploration journey.
In his speech, Gen Mbadi commended UNOC for the progress so far reached in exploring the oil and gas, saying that, they cannot work alone. He urged them to spread that knowledge about the oil resources.
“It is difficult to defend what you don’t understand but having knowledge about something, as you have elaborated, motivates us to defend and protect the oil and gas industry,” he said.
“It has been a long journey and they can’t work alone. UNOC is managing the country’s profound interest in the oil industry which is in itself a critical resource, and its eventual extraction and refinery deeply relies on a stable and secure country,” Gen Mbadi added.
Gen Mbadi urged members at the meeting to look for possible areas of collaboration in the oil sector, especially in the security field, for the benefit of Ugandans and Africans in pursuit of Pan Africanism.
“It is a glaring project on the security aspect and calls for cooperation in accordance with Article 209 of the 1995 Uganda Constitution that mandates the UPDF to protect the territorial integrity of Uganda, cooperate with civilian authorities during emergency situations, foster harmony and understanding between UPDF and civilians and participate in the economic development of the country,“ he said.
The CDF urged UNOC officials to continue with their work to improve Ugandans’ abilities to take advantage of the numerous opportunities in the oil industry, including those in hospitality, construction, and transportation, among other fields.
He reminded the delegation that there can be no development without security.
Gen Mbadi, however, implored UNOC officials to constantly update the masses with accurate information about the progress of the project, formalize a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) on possible areas of collaboration on security.
“Now we believe that the oil and gas industry will trigger a domino effect on the military and stir economic development. We think this will be a game-changer in the social economic development of our country. We promise to play our role towards providing security for the project and encourage you (UNOC) to play yours too,” the Chief of Defence Forces noted.
Poscovia Nabbanja, who led the UNOC delegation expressed her gratitude to the UPDF fraternity for securing the country and beyond, promised collaboration and cooperation with all stakeholders for the success of the oil and gas sector.
However, Nabbanja noted that, terrorism, vandalism, fires, explosions and, oil spills, among others remain potential threats to the industry although some interventions have been realized.
In an effort to develop local content for the project, Nabbanja said that, joint ventures have been encouraged, quarterly capacity-building sessions have taken hold, banks have been urged to offer suppliers low-interest loans, and oil modules have been included in the majority of training manuals.
It was also mentioned that districts where the project is hosted and their respective traditional institutions, will share their respective revenue with the State.
