The National Petroleum Institute (INP) is said to have given a mysterious destination to 2.15 million US dollars of recoverable costs drained from the state by Buzi Hidricarbons between 2009 and 2023.

A document published today by the Center for Public Integrity (CIP) reveals that the money should be used for social development projects.

Nevertheless, citing a letter of reply from the INP, it states that part of the total, 900,000 US dollars was earmarked for training and institutional support, while 1.05 million dollars was directed towards social projects.

The Non-Governmental Organization (NGO) accuses the INP of lacking transparency in presenting the application of the amount.

In fact, institutions such as the National Hydrocarbons Company; Sofala Provincial Economic and Finance Service (SPEF); Búzi District Government; and Sofala Provincial Infrastructure Service (SPI) allege that the INP has not been transparent in presenting information about the exploration project.

These same bodies work without coordination.

"This lack of information and coordination between public institutions contributes to opacity and a lack of accountability, hindering the proper monitoring of investments and their impact on local communities," reads the document.

In addition, the other concern has to do with the lack of institutional coordination and clarity on the use of these funds by the various government institutions at different levels.

"The consequence of this lack of transparency and coordination is obvious; local young people still don't have adequate access to qualified training, which limits their employment opportunities in the Búzi gas sector and increases the risk of social exclusion and conflict in the region. In addition, the lack of clear information on the social projects implemented raises doubts about the effectiveness and scope of these initiatives for the benefit of the affected communities," CIP believes.