The Petroleum Upstream Regulatory Authority (PURA) presented a draft of the Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) guidelines to the Kilwa District Council in the Lindi Region.

This was done on July 19, 2023, during a meeting attended by the Director General of PURA Mr. Charles Sangweni, the Acting Executive Director of Kilwa District Council Advocate Mary Kavula, and staff from both offices.

Speaking at the meeting, Eng. Sangweni said that the guidelines would help ensure that CSR projects implemented by companies involved in oil and natural gas exploration and production in the country reflect the needs and priorities of the respective communities.

"One of the key components of these guidelines is the preparation of a CSR plan that involves the participation of citizens through local government leadership. This involvement will enable the targeted community priorities to be considered, thus increasing the efficiency of these projects" added Ebg. Sangweni.

On her part, the Acting Executive Director of Kilwa District, Adv. Mary expressed her appreciation for PURA's initiative in developing those guidelines, as it will ensure that beneficiaries' perspectives are considered before companies implement the project.

“We are very grateful to PURA for taking up this initiative and dedicating themselves to preparing thes draft guidelines. The Director's Office receives it graciously and will refine it as deemed appropriate before involving other stakeholders for approval. We are looking forward to having the guideline in place by September 2023," added Adv. Mary.

The guidelines were prepared in accordance with Section 222(4) of the Petroleum Act of 2015.