No stand-off among Union partners on oil, gas exploration, Bunge told

DAILY NEWS Reporters

Minister of State in the President’s Office (Union Affairs and Environment), Mr January Makamba

Minister of State in the President’s Office (Union Affairs and Environment), Mr January Makamba

THE government has ruled out any stand-off on exploration of oil and gas as well as boundaries between the United Republic of Tanzania and Zanzibar Revolutionary Government, the National Assembly was told yesterday.

Minister of State in the President’s Office (Union Affairs and Environment), Mr January Makamba, made the assurance in the House here yesterday when responding to a question by Mr Jaku Hashim Ayuob (Zanzibar House of Representatives - CCM).

In his question, the MP had claimed that the Tanzania Petroleum Development Corporation (TPDC) had granted exploration licences for block number 7 and 8 bordering Latham (Fungu Maraca) Island without the consent of the Zanzibar government.

Mr Ayoub went on to allege that there was a crisis on the ownership of the island between the two governments, stressing that the dispute was due to possible oil and gas reserves at the area.

However, Mr Makamba said there was neither border nor ownership disputes on the island as all borders have been stipulated in the constitutions of the United Republic of Tanzania and Zanzibar Revolutionary Government.

“Among the 14 contested issues between the two governments, which have been solved while others are being worked on, there hasn’t been any matter related to borders,” the minister explained.

Mr Makamba elaborated further that TPDC had in the past granted licences for exploration of oil and gas for the blocks in question in line with Petroleum and Gas Exploration Act of 1980 since at that time the search for the precious liquid were considered Union Matters.

“However, at this moment the two governments have agreed to exclude exploration and production of oil and natural gas from the Union Matters,” Mr Makamba said during the Question and Answer session, which was chaired by Bariadi West MP, Mr Andrew Chenge (CCM).

He added that as the constitutional process to exclude the matter from Union Matters was in progress, the two parties have agreed to put in place legal arrangements to allow Zanzibar to start exploration and production of the resources.”

According to the minister, Section 2 (2) (b) of the new Petroleum Act of 2015 allows the government of Zanzibar to conduct the search of the precious liquid in the islands. “It is on this backdrop that the government of Zanzibar is currently working to enact its own legislation for exploration and production of oil and gas,” he explained.

Mr Makamba noted that even if a crisis arises between the two parties, there were modalities to address it as the two parts of the Union “are made up of people with historical and close relations.’’