GOVERNMENT has threatened to revoke exploration licences issued to firms interested to explore oil and gas as they have not commenced any works.
Minister of Mines Yamfwa Mukanga said the ministry is concerned over a number of licences given by the previous government, but are not exploring.
“We are saying for those given licences to explore we ask them to ensure that they explore because the 2008 Mining Act requires that if you are given exploration licences you should be able to explore within 90 days, three months,” he said.
Mr Mukanga said this in an interview in Chongwe recently.
He said the previous government had given out many licences, adding that the Ministry of Mines has since instituted an exercise to establish the number of licences that were issued.
“I can’t give you the number of licences issued, we are trying to check how many were issued and if anyone is not doing anything, we will revoke their licences,” he said.
Mr Mukanga also said that Government has a number of Government blocks which have not done much work.
Recently Government told investors at a road show in London that potential investors and partners must look for the 43 blocks of oil and gas that have been set aside or demarcated for exploration, which has not taken place yet.
About 11 potential oil blocks were licensed last year by Government with 26 still remaining to be put up for tender, while some six other blocks await partners as Zambia targets to become a middle income country by 2030.
[Zambia Daily Mail]
this is bull crap. what kind of oil are we really expecting to discover in Zambia?
I guess to a f00l like you, it sounds like crap – what a $tupid way of reasoning!!!!!
If you have no knowledge on this subject, I suggest you keep your counsel. There has been intense exploration in the Great Rift Valley which has yielded commercial deposits in the Albertine Basin in Uganda and nearby DRC, The Luangwa valley is part of the Great Rift Valley. Lake Tanganyika which partly lies in Zambia, lies in the Rift Valley. Tanzania and Malawi are seriously quarreling over oil and exploration rights in Lake Malawi…remember Sata ‘s gaffe when he said if they go to war we will host the refugees?
What a clueless PF govt? Who explores for oil in 90 days when you have to contract out for seismic surveys,interpret huge data and identify probable drilling spots? Getting a drilling rig shipped is another time consuming hassle.PF govt is quite illiterate,clueless and embarrassing to mother zambia.
its u who is clueless. dou want them to keep licenses for evr
The oil (real or prospective) was announced during Mwanawasa’s time. I think the government is well within its rights to demand that those given licences show some seriousness. Check your facts.
Enka Rasha, Law states that exploration work needs to start within those 90 days. This does not merely mean actual drilling on the ground but includes all the ‘baseline’ work as well.
Are u an arab dude? u really sound like one you know.
cooking oil
hahahahahaha
#2, The 2008 Mining Act which requires exploration within 90days was not made by PF Govt.
Well,they were part of parliament that passed the act.Regardless,the Mining Act should say commence work instead of “explore within 90 days” Exploration is a long painstaking process involving many specialised and independent companies.
Zambians with their lack of read culture.
Mumbwe or sorry Mumbwa or sorry ah ah what do I want to say? It looks like the minster does not know what he is talking about. Especially that 90 days, yali bonaula maaaaa!!!! now they are trying to force matters without planning. With the coming of new govt all would be investors do not know what is coming next, so they are trying to be extra careful. This pf govt is unpredictable.
i think you should list them and go ahead and revoke them
If you think there is no oil or gas then sit back and let the world run out of the easily extractive kind. You’ll then get lots of prospectors with the type of paraphernalia you don’t know exists and clearly mapped out geographic regions which they will assure you is old news. Perhaps then you will remember good old 2012 and wonder how much simpler it could have been to find it without the anxious foreign presence :) I’m being too harsh. No harm in looking now. Just sayin’.
Though usually a critic of most PF statements and policies i must say holding onto a Licence with the prospect of reselling it is not ideal for Zambian government and its peoples.
Give these people a grace period considering the previous uncertainty in change of government and later the onset of the rain season.
Na, they probably are unable to prospect and are busy trying to sell the licences.
:d:(:):((\:d/:x8-|/:)/:):o:-?:-\”:-w;)[-(:)>-
Do we hav oil in Zambia??????? I doubt a lot coz thez guys would have startd drilling oil by now. We just have contaminated ground water not oil naimwe!!!!!!!!! Maybe uranium and natural gas… Get back yo licenses bwana minister i thnk it has taken way tooooo looooong.
Totally agree.
who is going to be there in 2030 coz the world is soon coming to an end or all Zambians would have died of AIDS
In June 2009, the first bidding round for award of blocks was announced and it closed in November 2009. The first oil and gas exploration licenses were issued on 17th December 2010.
If the owners of these licenses have just sitting on them since they were issued, they should be withdrawn…no apologies and no excuses! The principle of “use it or lose it” should be applied. We have too many jokers applying and getting mining licenses, gemstone licenses, oil and gas exploration licenses and doing nothing but just pissing on the ground they obtained these licenses for!
Unfortunately there is no economically viable oil or gas in Zambia, no matter how hard you look
I recommend watching the full moving and doing your own research because taking Global warming at face value is dooming billions to a new salvery and Imperialism….http://youtu.be/4HwqUv23yuA
The truth is Zambia and the 3rd world are being held back by an elite that want the world serve their needs using Global warming, aids, money and deaths as their tools we must pray and be unreasonable to trust Jesus to give us and our leaders to wisdom to out fox the devil a save our nation! Till the tribulation and the second coming.