Ugandan Experts Call for Urgent Legislation on Earth Scientists Registration

Ugandan Experts Call for Urgent Legislation on Earth Scientists Registration

Phiona Nyamutoro, the Minister of State for Minerals in the Ministry of Energy and Mineral Development, has stressed the urgent need for a law to recognize, regulate, and register earth scientists in Uganda.

“The need for a legal and operational regime for earth scientists has taken longer than it should, but the Earth Scientists Registration Board Bill is needed like yesterday. However, as the Bible tells us, there is a time for everything. I want to say this is the time for us scientists,” Nyamutoro remarked.

The Minister made the statement on Tuesday while speaking at the opening of a three-day national stakeholders’ meeting on the Earth Scientists Registration Board Bill at Fairway Hotel in Kampala. She explained that the meeting was a government requirement to consult with stakeholders before any legislation is approved.

“I would like to encourage participants to open their minds and hearts to new ideas and share knowledge so we can finalize this bill for presentation to Cabinet,” Nyamutoro added.

The meeting, organized by the Geological Survey Department of the Ministry of Energy and Mineral Development, brought together key stakeholders from the earth sciences sector to discuss the proposed bill and its potential impact.

Dr. Fred Tugume, the Commissioner in charge of the Geological Survey at the Ministry of Energy and Mineral Development, explained that the proposed bill would establish a board to oversee the registration and licensing of earth scientists. This is a key component of the broader Mining and Minerals Act of 2022.

“The purpose of the three-day stakeholder engagement is to gather input on the proposed bill and draft a document that will later be presented to Cabinet and Parliament for consideration,” Dr. Tugume said.

Isa Rugayizi, a principal geoscientist, highlighted the various professionals who would be impacted by the bill, including geochemists, geodesists, geologists, geophysicists, mine geologists, oceanographers, and petroleum geologists. Rugayizi emphasized that the bill would benefit geoscientists, the public, and investors alike.

“There have been many people pretending to be geoscientists without proper qualifications, fleecing Ugandans and investors. With the proposed bill, a board will oversee the registration and licensing of geoscientists, allowing anyone seeking their services to easily contact qualified professionals,” Rugayizi explained.

He also pointed out that local geoscientists have previously complained about being excluded from local content initiatives, as many of the experts used have not been Ugandan. The bill aims to address this issue by ensuring that Ugandan geoscientists are recognized and included in local projects, creating a pool of qualified professionals for investors to tap into.