In 2014, my colleagues and I wrote a paper, “The Economic Aspects of Child and Human Sacrifice.”. Whenever the word ‘child sacrifice’ was mentioned, the quickest things that run through one’s mind were rituals, body mutilation, killing, murder, and witchcraft, among other things often associated with sacrificial rituals. These were usually believed to have economic benefits such as wealth and prosperity, fueled by poverty and trickery by traditional healers.
Today, citizens are being killed, some with no specific economic gains attached. In the 2020 Uganda Police Report of April 19, 2021, 4,460 people were killed in 12 months, translating into at least 12 murders daily, through assault, poisoning, shooting or mob action. According to Grace Akullo (Daily Monitor May 27, 2019), the reason behind such murders include land wrangles, business rivalry, delayed justice and family disputes, while jealousy, greed, poverty, anger and, poor security are suspected to perpetuate the murders (Daily Monitor Wednesday September 4, 2019, p.16).
These murders of innocent citizens in Uganda raise some questions. In what ways did the education of the offenders nurture them to take the lives of innocent civilians who are not engaged in war or combat? How did the teaching received at home and school shape such prejudiced and inhuman acts towards their humanity? To what extent has the education of people prepared them to be good citizens - socially responsible people, respecting the rights of all individuals and promoting a safe, just and peaceful society for all people to live. The answer is somehow clear: homes, schools and colleges in Uganda and probably around the world may not be adequately preparing their students and other citizens to understand the nature of shared humanity - planetary citizenship.
Credit: Daily Monitor
She no longer sleeps in our bed but in the sitting room, she does not like to get intimate yet when we do, I find myself on treatment for STIs
Dear Heart2Heart, my wife and I have been together for some time now and we have a child together. However, of late, her behaviour has changed. She no longer sleeps in our bed but in the sitting room, she does not like to get intimate yet when we do, I find myself on treatment for STIs. Mind you, even through all this, I have never been tempted to cheat on her. I love my wife but I do not think she is faithful or in this marriage for the long-term. What should I do? Anonymous
Credit: Daily Monitor
Now that the oil development stage has started, it is easier to connect the dots on how the private sector will directly benefit from the resource.
A number of contracts have been drawn while hundreds or even thousands of others, are still in the pipeline.
However, beyond individual or company level benefits, the question is; how does Uganda, as a country, earn from the oil and gas sector?
Pamela Natamba is the head of oil and gas division at PricewaterhouseCoopers (PwC).
In her assessment, as a country, during the development stage, Uganda will mainly earn through taxes, given that there will be no commercial production until 2025.
Therefore, she notes, such earnings have been provided for in the Income Tax Amendment Bill, which particularly focuses on the oil and gas sector.
“That Bill has made specific provisions, but one of them which is very interesting is it introduces a Windfall Tax,” she says and notes that this tax will apply to licensees that have signed Petroleum Sharing Agreements, many of which have been involved in exploration up to the point of production.
These, she says, include large companies such as TotalEnergies, CNOOC and Uganda National Oil Company (UNOC), among others.
What the Bill puts in place, Natamba says, is that as long as you earn revenue in excess of a certain amount, you will be subjected to a Windfall Tax.
For instance, she explains, if international oil prices are expected to go for a certain amount you a company sells beyond what has been projected, the expectation is, the company will pay an extra tax over and above 30 percent.
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