KAMPALA
German Organization Friedrich-Ebert Stiftung (FES) launched a database to provide regular informative updates about the Tanzania Oil and gas industry.
Named Tanzania Oil and Gas Almanac, the portal will serve online and in print. It is also available both in English and Kiswahili.
Speaking at the launch last week, FES Resident Director in Tanzania Rolf Paasch said the information provided will help to fill the gaps identified in a research conducted by Tanzania based Civil Society Organization Twaweza.
Twaweza in a report titled; Great Expectations: Citizen’s views about the gas sector, revealed Majority Tanzanians lack the basic information and knowledge about the nations budding gas sector.
“It has been created to significantly increase the stock of information available in local contexts among extractive stakeholders including civil society organizations, government, the media and international oil companies,” Paasch Said.
Abdallah Katunzi, a lecturer at the University of Dar es Salaam and chief editor of the almanac, said that the portal will provide timely information for the general public, researchers, policy makers and the media, among other stakeholders.
Executive director of Twaweza, Aidan Eyakuze, urged operators of the portal to provide information that can be easily interpreted by readers. “It will play a crucial role for people to obtain information but I urge those operating to ensure they post useful and high quality data,” he said.
Tanzania has already discovered more than 55 trillion cubic feet of natural gas and exploration is ongoing in both offshore and onshore sites.
Upon release of the Twaweza report, Tanzania Ministry of Energy and Minerals‘ Senior Supplies Officer Neema Lungangira Promised to establish a special local content unit in the country to strengthen citizen accessibility of information on the oil and gas industry.
Credit: Oil revenue Africa