In order to preserve money for essential projects, Ugandan President Yoweri Museveni called for a restriction on abroad travel by lawmakers and government employees over the weekend.
At the Uganda Petroleum Institute-Kigumba (UPIK), where the nation plans to train indigenous professionals in oil exploration, he made the comments while facilities were being opened.
The president was disappointed that the training school was still under construction due to a lack of funding even though Uganda plans to begin pumping millions of barrels of oil from its massive oil reserves in 2025.
“Tell the MPs and government employees to halt their international trip. Kigumba is pleading for money while money is being wasted on overseas travel, he reportedly claimed in video taken by a local station.
In addition, the president recommended freezing all allowances, according to the news website Daily Monitor.
Climate campaigners are opposed to a $3.5 billion (£2.7 million) crude oil pipeline that will link Uganda’s oil reserves to a port in neighboring Tanzania. The two nations of East Africa claim that economic growth is their top concern.
