Lobby and oil firm in row over sharing of revenues

A dispute has erupted between the Turkana community and an oil company over exploration rights, sharing of revenue and jobs.
The community through Turkana Civil Society Platform wants Tullow Oil, which discovered oil in the region two years ago, to implement an Environmental Impact Assessment (EIA) report and give them priority in employment.

The society claims oil exploration at Amosing site — some five kilometres from Ngamia 1 in Turkana South — will destroy grazing fields and displace scores of families.

“The society flouted protocol while prospecting for gasoline at the new site by not involving the community and providing a detailed EIA report,” said Mr Eliud Emeri, the chairman of Turkana Civil Society.

But Tullow has disputed the claims arguing that the local community and leaders were involved in the entire oil exploration.

“Environmental Impact Assessment was carried out and forwarded to relevant departments for approval before moving to the new exploration site,” said Tullow Oil corporate affairs officer Ann Kibuge.

She dismissed some of the conditions by the community like provision of security, noting that it was beyond control of the company.

“We engaged the community and leaders across the board before acquiring the licence, but it is difficult for the company to provide security services,” she said.

Turkana South DC Eliud Godo urged the community to cooperate with the company, arguing that they stood to benefit from the discovery of oil in the semi-arid region.

“The community and the oil exploration company have held several consultations on how to resolve the differences,” he said on phone.

Amosing is about five kilometres from Ngamia 1 at Nakukulas area, where the company discovered oil two years ago.

Some Community Based Organizations (CBOs) and local leaders want a sizable percentage of the oil revenue channelled to projects that are beneficial to the community.

Job opportunities

They also want the local community to be given preference in relevant job opportunities.

Tullow discovered oil at the Ngamia 1 exploration on Lokichar and Nakukulas basin on the border of Turkana South and Turkana East district.

The oil exploration company is to drill another well at Ngamia 2 to explore potential of more oil deposits in the area.

The Turkana County where the Ngamia discovery has been made is one of seven basins mapped in Tullow’s acreage and is similar in size to the 9,000 square Kilometre Lake Albert Rift basin in Uganda.