March 6, 2024, Lodwar (Public Communications and Media Relations)

County Government has taken a bold step to finalise the extraction policy is aimed at ensuring the sustainable governance of Turkana County’s abundant energy, minerals, and petroleum resources.

The Directorates of Minerals and Petroleum will be working in conjunction with Kenya Oil and Gas Working Group (KOGWG) to actualise the policy after the group secured funding from Oxfam.

Chief Officer of Energy, Minerals and Petroleum, Triza Amoni expressed the strategic focus would benefit the sector and highlighted the inclusive approach that would be taken to develop the policy.

“The Department’s intention is to establish robust, long-term policies that not only exploit the County’s natural wealth but also channel economic benefits directly to the community,” said Chief Amoni.

According to the chief, the county government acknowledges and applauds the positive strides made by KOGWG in advancing community land registration rights particularly the communities within the South Lokichar Basin; epic centre of oil exploration and extraction.

She added that the initiative emphasizes the integration of resource management, mobilization and public participation as essential components to the development of an inclusive policy.

The participants, which include Nelson Mudibo- Lawyer and Prof Protus Mulate – Environmental Science, shared legal frameworks, ideas, experiences and suggestions that will address the implementation of the policy to achieve varied objectives in the mining and extraction sector.

The policy development process will include review of the existing zero draft by the multidisciplinary team, inception report inclusive of an implementation plan, key informant interviews with various stakeholders and conduct a validation workshop.

Present during the meeting was Stanley Loter (Director for Minerals Resources), Eregae Geoffrey (Deputy Director for Energy and Petroleum) along with representatives from Civil Societies, Kenya Oil and Gas Working Group and Community-based Organisations.