KAMPALA Uganda (Dow Jones)—The Ugandan high court is set to
start hearing a case in which activists are trying to compel the
government to disclose details of oil-production agreements signed
with four foreign companies, it emerged Tuesday.
Dickens Kamugisha, the chief executive officer of the
Uganda-based Africa Institute for Energy Governance, or AFIEGO,
told Dow Jones Newswires that the attorney-general had already
responded to the suit and that the court will start hearing the
case on Jan 17.
"All is set, we want transparency in the sector, and the
government should stop hiding behind confidentiality clauses," he
said.
AFIEGO and the National Association of Professional
Environmentalists filed the suit in May. The activists say that the
government should make public details of the deals signed with
UK-based Tullow Oil PLC (TLW.LN), Heritage Oil PLC (HOIL.LN),
Dominium Ltd and London-listed Tower Resources PLC.(TRP.LN).
According to Kamugisha, by refusing to reveal details of the
contracts, the government is violating the Access to Information
Act.
Interest in Uganda's oil sector is on the rise following
impressive discoveries in the Albertine rift since 2006.
In December, the Ugandan national assembly asked the minister of
energy and minerals development to disclose the details of the
deals. However, the minister declined, saying that the government
would need to first consult with the attorney-general and the
oil-exploration companies.
UK-based research and advocacy firm Platform said in a report
last month that it had accessed three of the oil contracts, which
are largely in favor of the exploration companies. Company
officials declined to comment.
Uganda is set to start oil production in the next couple of
years, according to government officials.
-By Nicholas Bariyo, contributing to Dow Jones Newswires; +256
75-262 4615; bariyonic@yahoo.co.uk