EACOP compensation: Kyotera PAPs shun bank account opening

Kyotera, Uganda | THE INDEPENDENT | More than 30 people affected by the East African Crude Oil Pipeline route in Nabigasa sub-county in Kyotera district have declined to open up bank accounts ahead of the compensation payment. New Plan Limited and Total Uganda entered a partnership with Centenary Bank to help the Project Affected Persons-PAPs open up accounts through which they would receive their compensation monies.

This followed the display or disclosure of the Resettlement Action Plan (RAP) indicating how much money each PAP would receive for the damage and inconveniences. But the PAPs mainly in Kanga and Luseese villages have snubbed the exercise, saying that they cannot get involved until the chief government valuer intervenes to address their concerns.

Charles Lwanga, a resident of Kanga village says that he cannot open up an account yet he refused to sign the RAP forms because of unfair compensation rates for their properties including land, coffee and houses compared to the rates given to the PAPs in Rakai and Lwengo districts.

Imelda Namuli, a resident of Luseese village says that she cannot open the account before Total and New Plan explain why her money was reduced from the original amount among other queries.

Joseph Lukyamuzi, another PAP from Luseese village says that his coffee and banana plantations were undervalued, adding that he cannot open an account to receive such a small amount yet the PAPs in neighbouring districts were given reasonable amounts.

Patrick Kintu Kisekulo, the Kyotera LC 5 chairman urged the PAPs not to open accounts before Total and the chief government valuer resolve the anomalies. He says that their complaints and skepticism over the compensation rates must be addressed by the concerned authorities before they push for the bank account opening and other processes.

Vincent Kibanda, the Nabigasa sub county LC III chairperson urged the PAPs to utilize the opportunity given to open up accounts because these are personal accounts. He explains that as residents wait for their concerns over the compensation rates to be resolved, the PAPs should also be involved in every activity to expedite the process.

He further advised the PAPs not to ignore the ongoing processes because the government may be forced to proceed with the project without resolving the matters at hand.

Hajji Moses Ddumba, the Kyotera Resident District Commissioner advised the PAPs not to shun the exercise, saying that opening the bank account does not mean that the government will send the money to the PAPs before they even sign final forms.

Although the majority have snubbed the exercise, Annet Namugga has opened the account saying that there is no hope for the government and Total to reverse their decision after pleading with them for several years without any response.

Seth Muhumuza, the Head of Stakeholder Management-Petroleum Authority of Uganda (PAU), say that PAU and Total have no hand in determining compensation rates but it is the duty of the chief government valuer.

He says that they rely on the valuer’s report to effect compensation accordingly. Total and New Plan officials have been pleading with the PAPs to be part of the exercise in vain.

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