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Lake Malawi: Mutharika okays oil exploration.
President Peter Mutharika has set up plans to sell Lake Malawi to oil companies, Malawi24 has established.
Mutharika has issued a presidential decree for the exploration of oil on the Lake, the first stage before multinational companies are given contracts to start drilling oil on parts of the lake.
Just some hours ago, Minister of Foreign Affairs George Chaponda told the press in Lilongwe that Mutharika has lifted ban on the oil and gas exploration exercise on Lake Malawi opening the path for resumption of oil exploration on Lake Malawi.
“I am pleased to inform you that the President Mutharika) has lifted the ban. More details will come from the relevant ministry. I am glad that the president has picked this path. The mining sector will play an important role,” he told the press.
George Chaponda; Made the announcement.
Two years ago, the Malawi leader suspended oil and gas exploration on the lake amid allegations that the awarding of licenses to foreign companies was dubiously done.
The Mutharika led government has since received applications from companies in Georgia and Kazakhstan, are among the nations who have courted Malawi on the oil and gas exploration.
It is said that the Georgia government, has offered training to Malawians in public health, oil and gas processing and education at Universities in Georgia to be paid for by the Georgian Government.
But in an interview with Malawi24 on his reaction a few minutes ago, Environmental Activists without Borders and Institute of Sustainable Development (ISD) in Malawi Executive director Godfrey Mfiti said that it was sad to note that the Malawi leader has gone ahead to lift the ban, a development which will certainly okay the actual drilling process itself.
He said that this is because there is no legal backing to the processes.
”The development is a human rights violation. At present Malawi doesn’t have a legal framework to guide the drilling process. Its unfair for governmet to continue with this regardless of not having the said legal frameworks.” Mfiti told this reporter.
He added ” I think the government is losing touch on this issue because they are doing this in an haphazard money. This is because this will cause it will have a negative impact on the people. ”
Godfrey Mfiti: Govt must consider rethinking the decision.
Mfiti has since called upon the Democratic Progressive Party (DPP) led government to consider the decision wisely on the argument that there is no petroleum production policy now.
Malawi is using a petroleum act which has not been reviewed since 1983.
Initially, in a series of posts on Malawi24, Mfiti had argued that the oil drilling could leave Malawi worse off other than the way it looks.
”The oil exploration process when it comes to drilling stage will affect the aquatic ecology of the entire Lake Malawi. The rare endemism of cichlids fish species occur due to special evolutionary processes. Drilling oil is accompanied by heavy machinery, noise and pollution which will automatically affect the marine ecosystem. This has been proven through a number of scientific studies.”
”The country does not have safety nets and measures to mitigate and man-made disaster in a fresh water lake. The potential of oil spills pauses a huge threat to our fresh water lake.The drilling of oil involves release of waste water that is often too salty. Such water is lethal to aquatic biodiversity and not good for human consumption.” Mfiti wrote.
Any moves by government on the same have previously received unceasing condemnation by Malawians.
Source: Malawi24
