Private, public companies’ unity big win for oil and gas sector - experts 

Experts have highlighted the unity between private and public companies as a move that can make the Uganda’s oil and gas sector blossom.
Speaking at an event geared towards discussing how to unlock local content in the oil and gas sector at Namamve on Wednesday, Mr Ernest Rubondo, the executive director Petroleum Authority Uganda blamed private and public sector poor relations for the slow progress of the oil and gas sector.

“One of Uganda’s biggest problems is public and private sector bad relationship. Let the two arms work together for a common good,” he said.
Mr Honey Malinga, the ditector, directorate of petroleum at the Ministry of Energy and Mineral Development echoed similar concerns. 
According to him, joint venture partnerships between local and international companies will also do great service to Uganda’s oil and gas sector as the country banks on the sector for economic redemption by or after 2025.  

“We should create linkages between the local companies and the international ones because there are machineries they have that our local companies do not have,” he argued.
 Professor Kwesiga, who doubles as the chairperson Association of Uganda Oil and Gas Service Providers (AUGOS) and the executive director Uganda Industrial Research Institute on the other hand advocated for the massive training of young Ugandans in the sector. This, according to him, will boost the sector with skilled labor. 

“You analyse a situation and say we need skilled manpower. How do we do it? Let’s move ahead and offer apprenticeship training. For example, beef up the knowledge of our people. Ugandans are very educable. For local content to happen, you need skilled manpower that is relevant to the sector. You need to engage affordable technologies that are appropriate for this sector,” he said.