Africa-Press – Mozambique. Young people from Vulanjane and other locations in Inhassoro district, near multinational Sasol’s natural gas project in Inhambane province, blocked National Road Number 1 (EN1), in protest against their exclusion from the megaproject.
Analysts warn that the state must see this as a real threat.
Mozambique Television (TVM) showed images of a section of the EN1, the country’s most important highway, blocked in Vulanjane for about an hour.
The reason for the demonstration is the lack of opportunities for young people, especially in the oil and gas projects under development in the Pande/Temane area.
Some analysts argue that not all blame can be laid upon Sasol, because the state must also undertake to prepare people to become involved in the extractive industries.
Researcher Borges Nhamirre notes that the extractive industry actually employs small numbers of people, so it is necessary for the state to study ways to create job opportunities, especially for young people.
Dialogue
“It is not possible to employ all the people at Sasol,” Nhamirre says, “but the multinational must also invest in projects that benefit communities, and above all in technical training for local young people. The state should see the Vulanjane demonstration as a real threat. In the future, this could be a big thing.”
Analyst Tomás Rondinho agrees. “What we see in Vulanjane is one of the consequences of the poor implementation of certain projects,” he says. “The Sasol project practically does not foresee the inclusion of local youth, not only in that megaproject but in other developments in progress there.”
Interviewed about the blocking of the EN1, the Inhassoro district administrator, far from condemning the demonstration, revealed that the government intends to talk to representatives of the young people this Friday, July 30.
‘O Pais’ tried without success to secure a comment from Sasol.
