President Museveni has come up with a super strategy to persuade Ugandans quit use of firewood and charcoal for cooking.
In the strategy, the Head of State wants the country’s estimated 500 billion cubic feet of gas to be turned into liquified petroleum gas for domestic consumption.
The president says Uganda’s gas is expected to be depleted in just eight years and that it will be used to mainly power the different project infrastructure such as; the central processing facilities, the flow lines and the crude export pipeline to Tanzania, among others.
“A small amount of this gas will be converted into liquefied petroleum gas for domestic consumption. Many homes in Uganda still use charcoal, which accounts for most of their energy needs” he said in his speech ably delivered workholic Vice President Maj. Jessica Alupo at the closure of the 9th Annual Oil and Gas Convention at Serena Hotel.
Museveni noted that the use of charcoal has placed pressure on Uganda’s forest cover with official figures placing the loss at 72,000 hectares of forest cover annually on firewood and charcoal.
“This is equivalent to 100,000 football pitches of forest cover we lose per year” he explained.
Gen. Museveni warned that climate change is real and that government supports all measures aimed at protecting the environment for future generations.
He however, observed that such measures must conform with the “principle of equity and common but differentiated responsibilities and respective capabilities, in the light of different national circumstances” as enshrined in the Paris Climate Agreement.
He explained that this principle was key in calming the fears of developing countries especially oil and gas producing countries, in the early years of the climate negotiation process.
Museveni said Uganda is blessed with numerous energy resources to sustain all our energy needs among which includes solar, wind, hydropower, nuclear, geothermal and minerals, Oil and gas.
“I am happy that Ugandans,together with our partners have resiliently developed our oil and gas resources without looking back and very soon; this oil in the Albertine Graben will be used by our people” he said, adding that Uganda’s energy transition plan launched last year spells out a clear pathway to achieving net-zero emissions by 2065.
Museveni said that in addition to the development of mainstream power generation resources, promotion of renewable energy is equally important.
As such, he said government has programmes on wind, solar
and sustainable biomass for grid and off grid systems.
He said these renewable resources have the potential of being small scale for isolated off grid communities.
Museveni noted that in spite of achievements and strides being made, many opportunities for investment in Uganda’s nascent oil and gas sector still exist.
REGIONAL ACTION
The president said that realizing the need to refine our oil in the region, the East African Community developed a strategy on regional refineries development in 2008.
“The strategy addresses development of refineries and other infrastructure required to enhance storage and distribution of petroleum products in the region” he explained.
The chairman of the Non-Alligned Movement (countries) added that there are major electricity projects to interconnect all the East African countries on power network and other regions.
He said at country level, Uganda is aggressively developing other energy sources aimed at developing nearly 52,000MW of hydro power by 2040.
He is said the energy sector is taken as key as it plays an important role in helping Uganda obtain it’s desire for socioeconomic transformation of her citizens.
Museveni said there are investment opportunities in the midstream and down stream subsectors and therefore, urged local and international companies to take advantage of these opportunities. The president said the development of EACOP and Upstream projects is steadily progressing.
“I wish to assure all stakeholders of our commitment to supporting efforts in the oil and gas exploration, developments and production” he assured before urging foreign delegates to find time and tour Uganda to enjoy her hospitality.
