A team of government auditors is being trained to assess the financial transactions in Uganda's young oil sector.
John Muwanga, the Auditor General, says the 30 auditors will ensure that all funds used for the purchase of equipment, drilling and sale of oil products from Uganda is done in accordance to government regulations. He says the Energy Ministry will explain the process of oil production to the auditors, who will in turn use their financial knowledge to keep a tab on the use of public funds to develop the sector.
So far government has been silent on the terms of its agreements with the international companies drilling for oil in Midwestern Uganda. The details of the agreements are reportedly bound by the Government Secrecy Act and cannot be divulged to the public.
Despite this, Muwanga says the audited reports of the oil sector will not be classified and will be open to public review.
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The Auditor General says he has view copies of the oil agreements. He however refuses to reveal any of the details.
Johnson Malinga, the vice chairperson of the parliamentary public accounts committee, says there will not be transparency until the most crucial documents related to the oil drilling agreements are made public. He says the parliament will, at the appropriate time, demand for the release of all oil agreements.
