A new Board of Directors that will steer the Petroleum Authority of Uganda (PAU) for the next four (4) years has been inaugurated. The new board was inaugurated by Dr. Kitutu Kimono Mary Goretti, the Minister of Energy and Mineral Development at Amber House on Monday 15th May 2020.
This is the second Board of Directors for the Authority. The inaugural Board took office on 4th October 2015 and its tenure expired on 3rd October 2019.
The new Board was appointed by the President and approved by Parliament as provided for under the Petroleum Act, 2013. The Act provides that the PAU will have a Board of Seven (7) members and that, at least three (3) members of the Board shall be women.
Dr. Jane N. Mulemwa who served on the first inaugural Board retained her position as Board Chairperson. The other Board members retained include; Ms. Doreen Kabasindi Wandera and Mr. Kiryowa Kiwanuka. The new Board members that complete the seven(7)-member board are; Mr. Bernard Ongodia, who is the Principal of the Uganda Petroleum Institute Kigumba (UPIK), Dr. Kevin Aanyu, a lecturer in the department of Geology and Petroleum studies at Makerere University, Dr. Noble Ephraim Banadda a Chemical Engineer, and Ms. Lynda Biribonwa an Environment, Health, Safety and Quality Management professional.
In her inaugural speech, the Minister tasked the new Board to steer the sector to ensure the Final Investment Decision (FID) is achieved.
“You are coming on board at a critical time when the Ministry and the Authority are steering the Upstream and Midstream sector towards FID.
It is also critical for the Authority to look beyond FID and adequately prepare for how the sector will operate post this milestone. You are therefore encouraged to ensure the right systems, processes and people are in place to steer the petroleum subsector forward,” she said.
Mr. Robert Kasande, the Permanent Secretary Ministry of Energy and Mineral Development revealed that the new Board had been approved as per the requirements of the law.
The law provides that the Board should have proven experience in any of the following disciplines: -Petroleum Geosciences or Engineering; Health, Safety and Environment matters; Law; Business Administration or Management; Finance or Economics; or, Chemical and process or Refinery Engineering.
The inaugural Board submitted the end of term report highlighting, among others, the achievements made, and challenges faced. While passing her vote of thanks to the appointing Authority, Dr. Jane Mulemwa commended the president for having followed the recommendation of the pioneer Board to maintain an institutional memory and continuity when appointing the new Board.
“The composition of the new Board clearly shows that the president followed our recommendation and consequently we have three (3) old members Mr. Kiryowa Kiwanuka, Ms. Doreen Kabasindi and myself being reappointed alongside four (4)new members,” she noted.
She further noted that the new governing Board comes into office at a time that the country is grappling with COVID-19 pandemic and on the verge of taking the FID, a decision that is bound to unlock a flurry of simultaneous activities.
“As a new Board, we commit to work with integrity and build on the achievements of the pioneer Board, steer the Authority through this COVID-19 Pandemic, ensure that Ugandans have optimal participation and ensure that the petroleum resources contribute to the early eradication of poverty and create everlasting value to society,” she stressed.
