Africa-Press – Uganda. The Petroleum Authority of Uganda (PAU) has announced that the country has surpassed its target of employing 13,000 direct workers in the oil and gas sector, thanks to ongoing capacity-building programs and strategic investment by sector players.
Speaking during the pass-out ceremony of 30 newly trained lifting operations and lifting equipment operators in Hoima City, PAU Capacity Development Officer James Okwi said the country had closed a longstanding gap in technical manpower, especially in specialized roles like crane and hoist operators, heavy equipment operators, welders, and electricians.
“We had a serious challenge of unskilled manpower in key technical areas, especially in lifting and pipe-laying operations. Today, that gap has been significantly closed,” Okwi said during the ceremony held at Da’ Place Hotel.
The training program was sponsored by CNOOC Uganda Ltd as part of its local content development initiatives.
Okwi revealed that Uganda now employs over 16,200 people directly in the oil and gas sector, surpassing the national target of 13,000 that had been set under the 2013 National Workforce Skills Development Plan.
“The country had projected to directly employ 13,000 people in the sector. We’ve already surpassed that, with over 16,000 Ugandans now employed.
This is a result of continuous capacity-building efforts supported by partners such as TotalEnergies EP Uganda, CNOOC, the Uganda National Oil Company (UNOC), and the East African Crude Oil Pipeline (EACOP),” Okwi said.
He explained that over 14,000 Ugandans have received technical skills training in various disciplines related to the oil and gas sector.
These include more than 1,685 heavy truck operators, 1,734 welders, and 279 electricians.
“This not only reduces our reliance on expatriate labour, but also ensures that the people—especially those in host communities—are better positioned to benefit from job opportunities,” Okwi noted.
He urged oil companies to prioritise employment of locals, particularly those from the Bunyoro region, which hosts the bulk of Uganda’s petroleum resources.
“Over 5,100 people from the Bunyoro sub-region are now directly employed in the sector, but more must be done to ensure equitable benefit for host communities,” he said.
Eric Daniel Jumba, the National Content Manager at CNOOC Uganda Ltd, said the 30 graduates were selected from a pool of over 500 applicants drawn from Hoima, Kikuube, Masindi and Buliisa districts.
The one-month training was conducted by Zetta Energy Ltd in partnership with the Bunyoro Kitara Kingdom.
“The training focused on practical skills in operating lifting equipment such as cranes, forklifts and hoists,” Jumba said. “We are proud to be playing a role in building Uganda’s human resource capacity in oil and gas.”
Alex Katusabe, Chief Executive Officer of Bunyoro Kitara Kingdom, praised CNOOC Uganda Ltd for its commitment to enhancing local content and supporting communities in preparing for employment in the sector.
“Our people host the resource. When oil production begins, they must be considered first in employment,” Katusabe said.
One of the beneficiaries, Jumah Seninde Lubega, expressed gratitude to CNOOC and its partners.
“This initiative has given us real skills and real hope. We now stand a better chance of securing jobs in the oil and gas sector,” he said.
The ceremony marked yet another milestone in Uganda’s push to ensure local participation in its oil journey.
With an investment portfolio of over $21.5 billion committed to the sector, stakeholders believe that continued focus on community training and skills development will be key to unlocking long-term economic benefits for Ugandans.
Source: Nilepost News
For More News And Analysis About Uganda Follow Africa-Press
