On Monday evening, a wave of excitement swept through Kenya and the social networks after President Mwai Kibaki announced that the UK petroleum explorer that unlocked billions of barrels of oil in the neighbouring Uganda had made a major breakthrough with the discovery of oil in Turkana.The President, who made the announcement at a public function in Nairobi, said Tullow Oil made the discovery at the weekend but cautioned that commercial viability of the oil find remained uncertain."This is the first time Kenya has made such a discovery and it is very good news for our country,” President Kibaki said, “It is, however, the beginning of a long journey to making our country an oil producer, which typically takes more than three years.”
Oil industry experts said that apart from raising Tullow’s profile as a steady oil hunter with a proven track record in finding oil in Africa, the discovery has significantly lowered the risk profile of oil exploration in Kenya setting the stage for new investments.
Mwendia Nyagah, a consultant on petroleum issues said that the oil find risk has technically lowered Kenya’s exploration risk and that we are likely to see companies spending more here because indications are that their investment will not go to waste.
The discovery of oil in Turkana is also likely to trigger major a shake-up of firms holding exploration licenses for speculative purposes as more newcomers line up for a piece of the action.
Despite the good news, some Kenyans are already concerned about what has been called the oil curse. That’s the misfortune of corruption and misrule that people believe will result from being an oil producer, yet, that fear is real and can’t be wished away, because it’s what we’ve seen chaos in other oil producing countries in Africa and the Middle East.
It shouldn’t be that way and here’s why. Norway and Ghana have provided us with models to follow. First, Norway’s management of its oil sector has been admired mainly because it balances the protection of the environment with the need to access energy for economic growth.However, Norway’s real success has been in managing oil revenues. The groundwork for this was laid early on in the 1970s when a political consensus was reached on national control of the direction of petroleum activities. That’s to say, political parties agreed to keep oil out of election campaigns, and they’ve so far kept their promise.That’s what Kenyans should think of doing right now before oil starts flowing, otherwise differences will emerge. It won’t be easy, as Nigerian case shows. While Tullow is likely to be the main producing company in Kenya in the initial period, the government should ensure it retains greater ownership control of its resources as well as negotiate a better profit sharing agreement. The best way to achieve this is by promoting competition within the oil sector. At the same time, the government should work quickly to improve the technical skills of the local experts because that’s key to sustainable development of the sector.
Kenya should also borrow a page from Ghana in one other respect: allow as much transparency as possible. That’s only possible if Kenya joins the World Bank’s Extractive Industries Transparency Initiative’s (EITI), whose objective are to facilitate the contribution of the mining industry to poverty alleviation and economic growth through promotion of good governance and sustainable development. Countries have to report how they use their oil revenues. So far, there are 35 countries that have joined EITI, Ghana being one of them.If you see the government shying away from joining EITI, then be afraid they don’t want accountability because they want to steal oil money.
The recent Countrywide strike by Nurses is a total shame to our government and a total show of ignorance and neglect of this humble profession by both players, Govt and Nurses. How can a delivering mother and Child die outside a hospital whilst the nurses are watching? According to media reports, the deceased family just looked on as the delivering mother bled to death, together with the new-born baby, helplessly!! And rudely with inhumane ignorance, the Nurses just said,"Sisi tuko on strike!"(we are on strike!) What in this century are the people supposedly tasked to assist a human being in this time of need just watch as the needy person dies?!Florence Nightingale(Lady of the Lamp)sacrificed herself to take care of the injured soldiers even when no one thought of going to the war front!!
Normally, a nurse is expected to be attached emotionally to her career or even the patients. Florence Nightingale syndrome is a term used to describe a situation where a caregiver, typically a doctor or nurse, develops an emotional attachment to a vulnerable patient in his or her care. This attachment may progress into a sexual attraction. But this is exactly the opposite of what our Nurses did. Instead of even paying attention to that woman who was in need, at least to show the world that they love who n what they are, even when the Govt doesn't seem to give a darn, they let money n anger come in between their pledge to serve at all times!
And to the government of Kenya, PLEASE AVERT MORE DEATHS by giving the nurses their due, considering that our nurses are worst paid compared to other developing countries! With Vision 2030 in motion, can we ditch all primitive ways n uphold the straight ways to enhance our lives together with the future of our beloved Country????
I leave you with the Florence Nightingale which EVERY new nurse pledge...
"I solemnly pledge myself before God and presence of this assembly;
To pass my life in purity and to practice my profession faithfully.
I will abstain from whatever is deleterious and mischievous and will not take or knowingly administer any harmful drug.
I will do all in my power to maintain and elevate the standard of my profession and will hold in confidence all personal matters committed to my keeping and family affairs coming to my knowledge in the practice of my calling.
With loyalty will I endeavor to aid the physician in his work, and devote myself to the welfare of those committed to my care"
