Lobby Groups in Uganda Push For More Transparency in Oil Sector
Three lobbying groups namely Global Rights Alert, ActionAid Uganda and Transparency International have kick started an online petition to push for transparency from the Uganda government and international oil companies.
The ‘petition to end oil secrecy’ as it has been dubbed has the theme Have A Say On How Govt Manages Your Oil Revenues and goes by the hashtag line #ouroilourfuture. To date the petition has seen 423 supporters sign the appeal directed to the President Yoweri Museveni.
“This calls for maximum disclosure, openness and involvement of citizens in all major decisions; with no secret deals between government and oil companies, behind closed doors,” reads part of the petition.
If GoU is transparent abt oil mg’t, oil could change our lives for better. Stop the secrecy today! #OurOilOurFuture pic.twitter.com/FKlSM0Opus
— kintu kenny (@KintuKenny) February 3, 2016
The lobbyist want oil companies to make public how much they pay to government for oil and government too to disclose how much it receives from the oil companies and how this money will be used to benefit Ugandans.
The petition also intends to push the government to join the Extractive Industries Transparency Initiative (EITI) the global standard that promotes open and accountable management of natural resources is the only credible assurance of openness in the oil sector.