The Rt. Hon. Robinah Nabanja, the Prime Minister of Uganda who 21 March officially launched NOSCP said publicing of oil and gas operations in the country would provide a peaceful environment for the investors to operate.
“the people in the areas where the oil projects are situated will need to be sensitised on what to do and what not to do in case of an oil spill and the government has continued to show consistent support to the oil,” said Ms Nabanja.
The National Oil Spill Contingency Plan (NOSCP) is a commitment by the Government of Uganda together with the licensed International Oil Companies to maintain the integrity of the environment in the midst of oil and gas activities.
In the NOSCP is a framework to guide national oil spill preparedness and response in the event of an oil spill, it is important to ensure that Oil production in Uganda must, and will be safe for our environment.
Now more than ever, Uganda Vision 2040, the East African Community Vision 2050 and the Africa Agenda 2063 as well as the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) will provide the framework needed to ensure that the people of Uganda benefit from the opportunities that the exploitation of petroleum resources presents.
Speaking at the same event, Ms Ruth Nankabirwa, the Minister of Energy and Mineral Development emphasized the need for support from all players to exploit Uganda’s oil and gas industry to deal with energy poverty.
“NGOs (Non-Governmental Organisations) that thought that the industry will be derailed should now know that we have left no stone unturned to ensure that our biodiversity concerns are well addressed”, she said.
She further said that her Ministry has worked with other government agencies and industry stakeholders to champion the development of several frameworks to support environmental management and biodiversity protection during oil and gas activities.
Mr. Ernest Rubondo, the Executive Director at the Petroleum Authority of Uganda (PAU) re-affirmed the Authority’s commitment as the designated Competent National Authority (CNA) for ensuring the implementation and operation ability of the NOSCP.
“The Authority has already initiated steps geared towards strengthening regulatory capacity in oil spill management that include equipping oil spill monitoring and incident command centers, facilitating the establishment oil spill response equipment hubs and undertaking specialized training in oil spill management”, said Mr. Rubondo.
Dr. Akankwasa Barirega, the Executive Director at the National Environment Management Authority (NEMA) revealed that oil spill contingency planning is the bedrock for effective preparedness and response to oil spill emergencies.
He said, “the legal framework and the NOSCP establishes an effective and coordinated national oil spill preparedness and response system, including designating responsible institutions and response command structures”.
“In the unlikely event that an oil spill occurs, it is imperative that it is managed well, and our first action should be to contain and control the spill. Thereafter endeavor to respond quickly and in a well-organized manner”, Mr. Akankwasa added.
The legal framework, with hindsight, that effective management of oil spills depends on good coordination and collaboration between several entities, requires that the Office of the Prime Minister (OPM), NEMA and the PAU to work closely together on several undertakings aimed at preventing/preparing for / responding to oil spill incidents.
This however does not take away the independence of these institutions in the implementation of their core mandates and duties as well as roles provided for in the regulations.
About the NOSCP
The NOSCP is premised on an internationally recognized “PEAR” priority order, where in the event of an oil spill, the response shall be undertaken with due consideration for:
-People (safeguard and save life)
-Environment (Protect the environmental resources from adverse harm)
-Assets (secure important economic assets)
-Reputation (of the Oil Company or other responsible entities)
