No local content policies, no local participation in oil, gas

By BERNARD LUGONGO
High participation of locals in oil and gas value chain in African
countries would be realized through developing proper local content
policies and legislations, said Ms Neema Lugangira, an independent
consultant.
Ms Lugangira, who is a former acting director for local continent in
the Prime Minister's Office in Tanzania, has said local participation
in Tanzania, Uganda and Kenya has been very low.
"It's good that now we see these countries develop policies and laws
that would enhance the local content," she said.
It is through proper policies and laws that the country would ensure
that part of the money invested in oil and gas remains in the country,
he added.
She mentioned creation of employment to locals as one of the ways to
make part of the money remains in the country.
She commended Tanzania for enacting the law last year that promotes
the local content in the oil and gas sector, citing part of it which
states that 10 per cent of the extracted gas should be for domestic
use.
However, she said, infant industry, complicated business registration
and limited access to finance, were among the challenges hindering the
local participation in the sector.


--
BERNARD LUGONGO,
SENIOR WRITER,
DAILY NEWS,
Tanzania Standard Newspapers Ltd,
MOB: +255 713 636856.