Kampala — ENERGY minister Hilary Onek has warned companies and NGOs against misleading the public on the ongoing oil exploration in different parts of the country. Onek said the speculation from the organisations is raising a lot of anxiety in the public.

In the end, Onek said, people will start clashing over nothing because Uganda is not yet producing oil.

"I would wish to advise the NGO officials who are masquerading around that they know alot about oil and are calling for transparency to go and do something else like looking after orphans," he said.

Onek was addressing guests at the mid-year celebration of Tullow Oil Uganda on Friday at Emin Pasha Hotel in Nakasero, a Kampala suburb.

The minister said the oil would not be touched until there was infrastructure.

Tullow Oil has been drilling in Uganda since January 2006 and has discovered over 700 million barrels in the Albertine region.

Oil discoveries have recently been made in Hoima, Buliisa and Amuru districts where exploration is being undertaken by Tullow and Heritage oil companies. Exploration is also being carried out in Rukungiri and Kanungu districts by oil exploration firm, Dominion.

Uganda's oil production potential is estimated at nearly one billion barrels.

However, several individuals and organisations like the National Association of Professional Environmentalists have advised the Government to make the oil revenue sharing agreements public.

Brian Clover, the country manager of Tullow, said they had completed onshore exploration.