Tullow Oil meets government, agrees to resume Turkana oil operations

Workers walk past storage tanks at Tullow Oil's Ngamia 8 drilling site in Lokichar, Turkana County, Kenya, February 8, 2018. Picture taken February 8, 2018. [Photo:REUTERS]

British oil company Tullow Oil will forthwith resume its oil and gas development activities in Turkana County, the Government has said.

A statement from the Ministry of Petroleum and Mining reveals that the government has reached an agreement with the company, and such includes addressing the grievances that stalled the transportation of the commodity to the coast.

It reads:

“The Government has resolved to establish a two-tiered system framework that will provide communities living in Turkana county and Tullow Oil with avenues for addressing any emerging issues and concerns.”

Some of the issues that the government has set sights to iron encompasses insecurity that irked the locals, pushing them to the brink of hampering the execution of the project.

Thus, the statement from Cabinet Secretary John Mosonik’ office indicates that there is a plan to foster coexistence between the locals and the company. It reads:

“Government of Kenya is committed to foster a harmonious, sustainable, stable and secure operating environment with regard to all operations around the oil, gas and minerals sectors in the Republic of Kenya.”

Tullow Oil withdrew from transporting 2,000 barrels of crude oil to the coast, and cited harshness by the local community.