Correspondent|MDC Alliance principal Tendai Biti has rubbished oil discovery claims announced by President Emmerson Mnangagwa on Thursday stating that it was another mega deal that would never materialise.
President Mnangagwa announced the discovery of oil and gas in the Muzarabani area by Australian Stock Exchange-listed company Invictus Energy.
President Mnangagwa said the findings by Invictus Energy, a company that has been licensed to explore the oil in Muzarabani were positive and point to oil and gas deposits in the area.
President Mnangagwa said government would work very closely with Invictus to ensure that the company realises its plans to sink an exploration well by mid-2020.
In an interview Biti said the country was miles away from discovering oil.
“Coming from Mnangagwa, The man just shoots his big mouth off. We have heard of mega deals and mega deals billions and billions of mega deals, nothing has materialised.
“That there is ample justification for exploration of gas and oil in Muzarabani, it does not translate to oil.
“So the contrary that has been given to Invictus to gas and oil exploration, we are miles away from any potential finding of oil,” he said.
Biti said he was concerned with the allocation of resources by government.
“Secondly I am seriously concerned with the allocation of resources, what is the criteria that that we give those contract, this contract that has been given to Invictus what did they pay.
“Where is the transparency, why wasn’t this confession subjected to conduct so I have a problem with the way we allocate national resources without tender, without parliament, without full knowledge of the public so more questions arise than answers,” Biti said.
Biti also went on to social media and tweeted saying the discovery of oil was rubbish.
“It is one thing being clueless and predatory but it is another thing for a Government to lie and to tamper with the truth daily we are inundated with claims of billion dollar mega deals & investments. What hog wash .Now someone says there is oil in Zimbabwe .What a load of rubbish,” Biti tweeted.
M&T