By Prisca Oroma

The Alur Kingdom cultural leaders recently conducted a familiarization tour of oil and gas project operations in the Lake Albert Basin.

The tour, organized by the Uganda National Oil Company (UNOC), aimed to bring the cultural leaders up to speed with the progress of the Tilenga and Kingfisher oil and gas development projects. This information was to be cascaded to the Alur people, who form one of the largest ethnic groups in the entire Lake Albert Basin.

The Deputy Prime Minister and Executive Director, Vincent Ochaya, led the delegation, which included five chiefs from Jonam in Pakwach District, two chiefs from Padyere in Nebbi District, as well as the kingdom’s cabinet ministers and other officials.

The familiarization tour also highlighted the unity between the Alur and Jonam peoples, as seven chiefs from both ethnic groups participated in harmony.

Deputy Prime Minister Ochaya stated that the familiarization tour enabled them to assess the readiness of oil production pads, storage facilities for drilled crude oil, the payment of royalties once commercial revenues begin, the contribution of oil and gas to Uganda’s economic development, and the progress of construction at Kabalega International Airport, among other developments.

“From what we saw and experienced, the oil and gas sector in Uganda is looking promising and could be a game changer for the socio-economic transformation of Uganda,” said Ochaya.

Ochaya also urged the government to consider developing infrastructure such as oil roads and other facilities on the Alur Kingdom side of the Albertine region.