The tabling of the petroleum amendment bill is seen as a repeat of the mistakes made in the fisheries sector, mistakes that ultimately led to the dark legacy of the 2019 Fishrot scandal.
Independent Patriots for Change member of parliament Michael Mulunga shared these views while debating the bill in the National Assembly on Tuesday.
The bill seeks to put the oil and gas sector under the Office of the President.
“As a shadow minister of agriculture, fisheries, water and land reform, my office is overwhelmed by the pleas of employees in the fishing sector which is still bleeding as a result of the 2019 corruption scandal. Today the fishermen’s lives have not returned to normal,” Mulunga said.
“As we all know, their misery was caused by this House that granted the fisheries ministry unlimited powers to dish out fishing quotas as per the minister’s discretion, without proper regulation and oversight.”
He said they find themselves at the same crossroads with this bill, adding that although the government previously planned to introduce such powers, no bill was ever brought before the National Assembly.
This, he said, is disappointing, particularly for fishermen as their plight has not received the same attention as the oil sector.
He questioned why it is urgent, especially if commercial oil is only expected a few years from now.
He said fishermen wish that the marine resource amendment bill would have been the first priority for the new administration.
The member of parliament adds that accepting the bill will result in trading supervision and oversight roles for absolute control by an individual.
He said the modernisation of such a system should not be accepted.
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