The Independent Uganda: You get the Truth we Pay the Price
Kampala, Uganda | THE INDEPENDENT | Construction of the East Africa Crude Oil Pipeline is projected to displace at least 400 households in nine districts of Uganda.
The 1,445 Kilometers long pipeline will also economically affect a total of 3,000 households in Hoima, Kakumiro, Kyankwanzi, Mubende, Gomba, Sembabule, Lwengo, Rakai and Kyotera.
According to the Environment and Social Impact Assessment Report (ESIA) of the project, some of the affected persons will temporarily or permanently lose their land to the development. The report notes that compensation of the affected persons will cause controversies as speculators dive in to cash in on oil money.
The National Environment Management Authority-NEMA says the project affected persons have until end of August to communicate the impacts of the development of the oil facility on their existence and livelihoods for remedies to be devised.
Dr Tom Okurut, the National Environment Management Authority says the project affected persons should interact with the Authority through post and emails as possibilities of organizing public hearings are uncertain.
The Crude oil pipeline will be the World’s longest heated pipeline transporting 216,000 barrels of oil per day to an international port of export in Tanzania from the Albertine Graben.
The nine districts will host 296 Kilometers of the Crude Oil Pipeline with the balance traversing neighboring Tanzania. The Environment and Social Impact Assessment report for the development of the oil facility says 200 unskilled workers will be employed during the construction of the facility.
The report says the Kingdoms of Buganda, Bunyoro and Kooki Chiefdom will have some of their cultural sites affected by the Construction of the Crude Oil Pipeline expected to cost USD 3.5 billion.
Dr Okurut says the generated comments will be forwarded to the developer of the Pipeline for considerations during Compensation ahead of Construction. He says issuance of the Environment Impact Assessment Certificate will be dependent on how well the developer will address the issues the public will raise.
NEMA released the report for public comments last Friday.
In June, the Netherlands Commission for Environmental Assessment described the report as bias to communities affected by the project.
According to the Commission, the report does not clearly identify measures to manage high public expectations on the number of jobs the construction and operation of the pipeline will create to communities along its route.
Players in the development of the Crude Oil Pipeline include China National Off-shore Oil Company (CNOOC), Total E&P, Tullow Oil and the governments of Uganda and Tanzania.
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I think people can see where we are going
In the next years people are going to get jobs
So those who see beyond the ordinaly start today because those who are going to work there are going to need accommodation and food atlarge
I mean build the hotels .in those 9 districts mentioned above .