STAFF WRITER
President of the National Democratic Party, Martin Lukato Lukato wants Namibians to have direct control in the oil and gas resources.
Lukato joined a growing chorus of opposition parties who are against the proposed amendments to the Exploration and Production) Amendment Bill.
The Bill seeks to move some functions of the upstream petroleum and gas sector under the firm control of President Netumbo Nandi-Ndaitwah-a move critics say will weaken parliamentary oversight as well as reduce the Minister of Industries Mines and Energy’s influence on the sector to a lame duck.
Contributing to the ongoing debate on the Bill in parliament Lukato said they supports a situation in which the Ministry of Industries, Mines and Energy takes the full responsibility of seeing to the operations of the petroleum and oil in the country.
“This means that at no time should the exploration o f petroleum activities resort under the Office of the President. This is t o avoid the temptation o f the High Office of corruption but maintaining checks and balances i n the whole operations,”Lukato said.
Lukato said oil can change the face of the Namibian economy and her people if both economic and political will from the ruling elite is there.
He said the ruling elite should change the way of servicing their people.
“After the fishrot scandal it cannot be business as usual with oil. The profits from oil can address the unemployment plight of the youth of this country if wisely used. The Namibians living near those oil wells should first benefit from this natural resource before anyone else does. The oil sharks will be the well-placed politicians and their cronies, and the common Namibian masses will only b e licking their lips,” he said.
He added that, “The National Democratic Party is of the opinion that the researchers who conducted the explorations activities should equally engage all members o f the political parties and lawmakers for them to get firsthand information. This will assist the politicians and lawmakers t o make informed decisions. The researchers should make presentations to the two Houses of Parliament jointly or to each house.”
According to Lukato the Bill should equally be debated in Parliament for all members to have input.
Lukato also raised concern that international oil companies have left a trail of destruction on the environment elsewhere in Africa while locals remain poor.
“In some countries, oil production has widened the gap between the ruling elite and the poor working masses. This is so as oil proceeds and profits end up in the pockets of the powerful ruling elites.,” Lukato said.
He added that, “Despite the production of oil, very little is ploughed back into the economy of the country. Oil after being produced from the area crosses borders either through illegal means or by exporting it to the mother countries o f the oil producing companies. The consumers and beneficiaries of the finished oil products are not citizens of the oil producing country.”
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