20 , Tuesday, January 21, 2020 2020: The expected oil BY MARTIN KITUBI

he oil and gas sector is finally coming to the take-off stage. With the Final Investment Decision (FID) for Tthe oil pipeline project expected this first quarter of 2020 (between now and March), what is on the minds of several Ugandans are the oil jobs. According to projections, an estimated 190,000 jobs will be created by the oil and gas development. The projections include the 160,000 jobs that were highlighted in the 2013 Industrial Baseline Survey (IBS), and over 29,000 additional jobs in The oil and gas the Workforce Skills Development sector skilled Strategy and Plan (WSDSP). and artisan job The IBS survey was conducted opportunities by China National Offshore Oil are classified Corporation (CNOOC), Total into four key and Tullow Oil on how Ugandans levels will benefit from the sector. The WSDSP was developed such that the oil and gas deals are Kigumba (UPIK) becoming a by both education and energy concluded.” Under the current progress, Muloni said centre of excellence for that ministries and funded by the She urged Ugandans to register purpose. World Bank under the Albertine on platforms such as the National government target is to take the FID during The institute has not only Region Sustainable Development Oil and Gas Talent Register acquired modern equipment Project (ARSDP). (NOGTR). for oil and gas training, but The strategy and plan was the current first quarter of 2020 also obtained international launched on November 15, 2018 HOW TO GET THE JOBS accreditations for specailised by President at Government, through the courses. Hoima Booma grounds. Petroleum Authority of In an interview, Betty through training, with emphasis In 2018, the institute became (PAU) set up a National Oil and Namubiru, the National Content on artisans, such welders and the first government institute JOB CATEGORIES Gas Talent Register (NOGTR) Manager at PAU, said the system technicians. to be granted approval as a According to the IBS, majority to increase the participation will make it easy for oil companies The education ministry centre to offer City and Guild of the jobs will go to artisans, of Ugandan job-seekers in the and contractors to locate embarked on development of a qualifications. accounting for 60%, whereas the register. employees. specialised oil and gas training The new development, which skilled workforce will take 40%. The NOGTR is an electronic institute for the country, and this was confirmed on November 21, These were classified into four government information TRAINING saw Uganda Petroleum Institute 2018, allows UPIK to offer 22 key levels, that is, level four management system, which is With these opportunities for graduates andevel three for intended to capture the demand on board, government experts and two and one for and supply of Ugandan manpower tasked the education artisanal. in the oil and gas sector. ministry with National Oil and Gas At level four, the oil and gas In addition, the talent register addressing the sector will create opportunities will create ease for oil companies, skills gaps TalentTTa Register (NOGTR) for civil/structural engineers, contractors and sub-contractors System rolled out in February 2019 mechanical engineers, control to employ certified oil and gas centre operators, geologists and workforce available in the country. maintenance engineers. It was rolled out in February 12,020 Ugandans had registered as of November 2019 At level three, mechanical 2019. As of November 2019, technicians, instrumentation a total of 12,020 Ugandans, technicians, persons in logistics both locally and those abroad, 393 were female and supply chain management registered for oil and gas jobs on and 11,627 male will be needed. the NOGTR. At level two, the needed Of the total, only 393 are female skills civil engineers, drivers, whereas the 11,627 are male. Applicants were from over 100 areas of specialties, such as; welders, scaffolding, mechanical According to a status report banking and finance, agriculture, technology, law, engineering, technicians and related trades will obtained by New Vision, the business and commerce, medical and health services, ethnobotany plus be needed. applicants are from over 100 areas education, hospitality, wireless route and switch certification, machining At level one, they additional of specialties. jobs will be for civil engineering These include banking and and fitting, environmental practitioners, catering and hotel management and related labourers, hospitality finance, agriculture, technology, among others and catering personnel, security law, engineering, business and guards, drilling rig and related commerce, medical and health System aims to increase the participation of Ugandan job-seekers labourers. services, ethnobotany, among in the register Sarah Opendi, the Minister of others. State for Mineral Development, Other areas include education, Electronic government information management system to capture in a recent interview said: hospitality, wireless route and the demand and supply of Ugandan manpower in the oil and gas sector “The sector if going to create switch certification, machining employment opportunities and fitting, environmental Talent register to help oil companies, contractors and sub-contractors for our people. We promise to practitioners, catering and hotel easily find certified oil and gas workforce in the country continue with the negotiations management, among others. NEW VISION, Tuesday, January 21, 2020 21 jobs are here City and Guilds programmes from level and March 2020. The sector if going to create one to level three of the needed oil and Just like oil deals, the signing of the HGA has gas skills. dragged for years. employment opportunities to our Founded in 1878, the City and Guilds In May 2017, Uganda and Tanzania signed the people. We promise to continue of London Institute is the awarding Inter-Governmental Agreement (IGA) for the with the negotiations such body for City & Guilds and ILM 2008 pipeline project. that the oil and gas deals are qualifications, offering a large number of The year land The IGA provided a foundation for concluded,” said“ Sarah Opendi, accredited qualifications mapped onto acquisition other project agreements, including HGA, the Regulated Qualifications Framework process for the Shareholders’ Agreements and other financing the Minister of State for Mineral (RQF). pipeline route agreements. However, three years later, none of Development. Again in 2019, UPIK became an in Uganda the above agreements has been realised. Engineering Construction Industry and Tanzania Earlier, both Tanzania and Uganda had Training Board (ECITB) assessment started promised to sign HGA before end of 2018, centre. however, the targets were moved to 2019 and now 2020. STATUS ON DELAYS The HGA will ensure the two countries benefit There have been uncertainties from the Oil Pipeline project. concerning when the oil and gas developments will commence. PROGRESS ON THE PROJECT There are four key agreements delaying 2019 In her handover report, Muloni said the Front- the signing of the oil pipeline deal, Eng. End Engineering Design (FEED) was concluded Irene Muloni, the former energy and Energy in April 2018, and that it is currently under minerals minister, said. ministry review by the government. These include, the harmonisation requested the According to Unitel Technologies, FEED is of the Host Government Agreement lands ministry an engineering design approach used to control (HGA) between Uganda and Tanzania, to gazette project expenses and thoroughly plan a project Shareholding Agreement and the Tariff the pipeline before a fix bid quote is submitted. and Transportation Agreements. corridor. This In addition, she said an engineering The above, alongside the conclusion was achieved procurement construction management (EPCm) on the Capital Gains Tax between on November contractor, Worley, was identified and started on government and the International 29. the EPCm for the project early works. oil companies, she said, are yet to be “The detailed design work for the pipeline and realised. its Above Ground Installations will commence Currently, Muloni said, nine as soon as the FID is taken,” Muloni said. meetings for negotiations on the Host On the resettlement action plan, she told Government Agreement have been held New Vision that the land acquisition process with the pipeline project team. had started on November 2018 and that data On the harmonisation of the Host collection in the 10 pipeline-affected districts Government Agreement, she said four 90% has been completed. meetings have been held and that “Valuation of affected properties is ongoing. harmonization stands at 90%. Percentage The right of way was demarcated and the Once this is concluded, Muloni said at which cadastral, asset valuation and socio-economic it is expected that negotiations for the harmonisation surveys were completed for the pipeline Shareholding Agreement and the Tariff of the Host corridor,” Muloni noted. and Transportation Agreement will Government According to the cadastral, asset valuation and commence. Agreement socio-economic surveys, which New Vision has “It is expected that the Final stands seen, over 4,500 persons will be affected by the Investment Decision for the East African pipeline project. Crude Oil Pipeline (EACOP) will be In 2019, Muloni said the energy ministry undertaken following conclusion of these requested the lands ministry to gazette the key project agreements. She made the pipeline corridor and that this was achieved on remarks recently while handing over November 29, 2019. office to incoming energy minister Dr Much as there is a stalemate, Robert Kasande, Mary Goretti Kitutu. the energy and minerals ministry permanent secretary, explained that a lot more has been NEW TARGET FOR FID achieved on the development of the oil pipeline. For the pipeline’s Final Investment Decision to be signed, Muloni said international oil companies have demanded the Host Government Agreements are concluded. The HGA will also pave way for the Jobs signing of the Share Holding Agreement and the Tariff and Transportation Majority of the oil and Agreements for the project. gas jobs “The realisation of FID is pegged on will go to the progress in the above negotiations,” artisans, she said. accounting This implies that the shorter the for 60%, negotiations, the closer the deal, and the whereas longer the negotiations, the further the the skilled delays. workforce Under the current progress, she said, will take government target is to take the FID 40% during the current first quarter of 2020. With this development, it means, the deal is likely to be signed between now