Oil transportation to resume next week after leaders meeting

Trucks of the first crude oil consignment from Lokichar, Turkana arrive at the Mombasa's Changamwe KPRL storage facility on Thursday 7th June, 2018. [Maarufu Mohamed,Standard]

Oil transportation from Ngamia 8 in Lokichar, Turkana County to Mombasa will resume next week, two weeks after residents blockaded trucks demanding that the government addresses insecurity and unemployment.   

Turkana leaders and national government officials met on Thursday and reached an agreement that Early Oil Pilot Scheme (EOPS) resume operations after elected leaders explain to residents the deliberations.

The meeting held at Lokori was attended by Rift Valley Regional Commissioner Mongo Chimwaga, Petroleum Cabinet Secretary John Munyes, Turkana Governor Josephat Nanok, Turkana East MP Mohammed Lokiru and his Turkana South counterpart James Lomenen and several MCAs.

The leaders said they were committed to addressing residents' grievances so that the oil operations can resume on Wednesday.

The Regional Commissioner who earlier had a closed-door meeting with the leaders said security will be improved in the region.

Turkana Senator Malich Ekal who missed the meeting, told Saturday Standard on telephone that he was following the issue and the national government was committed to deploy police and additional National Police Reservists to volatile areas like Kapedo, Lomelo, Kamuge, Nakukulas and Nadome.

On local content concerns raised by residents on oil proceeds, it was agreed that a meeting will be held next Friday between the Turkana leadership Forum and the County Government to reach an agreement.

"On Friday next week, we will have a conference to discuss local content and we will identify professionals and leaders in the county for engagement with my ministry and Tullow Oil on how to deal with grievances," the CS said.