Senate Committee on Energy urged SDP to ensure residents around oil exploration areas benefit.

Senate Standing Committee on Energy has urged the State Department for Petroleum (SDP) and Tullow Oil Company (TOC) to ensure that the communities in Turkana exploration areas benefit from the activities of the players in form of infrastructural development.

The Committee advised the two parties to work together and give Turkana residents value for their natural resource. Key community projects like roads, schools, hospitals and mid-level colleges that would uplift the standards of living of the community around the project were recommended

Speaking during a meeting held with senior officers from SDP, technocrats from Tullow Oil Company and the leadership of Turkana County, the  Committee Chair and Nyeri Senate Wahome Wamatinga noted that this win-win situation for all stakeholders is just a form of Corporate Social Responsibility(SCR) and that in the long run, it should turn to be a Community Social Investment program.


Members of the Committee  wanted to ascertain  the operations of Tullow oil  Company,  understand  the status and progress  and get a way forward on the on the oil exploration in the Country       

 They also urged Tullow Oil to focus on sustainable projects for Turkana residents.


SDP officials assured the Committee that they will acquire land for Oil exploration through the National Land Commission and Tullow Oil will pay the lease to community through the Turkana County government.


The officials confirmed to the committee that Tullow Oil has financial and technical capability to execute the project while benefiting the community through investment earnings, local sourcing of materials and manpower.

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