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Buliisa, Uganda | THE INDEPENDENT | The government of Uganda on Tuesday handed over the last batch of 100 resettlement houses to Project Affected Persons-PAPs under the Tilenga project in the Bunyoro sub-region.
Each of those was given a land title on which the house was constructed as proof of ownership. The latest development brings to 235 the total number of resettlement houses constructed by TotalEnergies for persons to be displaced by the oil and gas infrastructure in the Tilenga project area. Those include the Tilenga Central Processing Facility-CPF and the feeder pipeline in Buliisa, Hoima, and Kikuube districts.
Six hundred and twenty-three persons in Kasenyi village were affected when the government acquired 320 hectares of land in Kasenyi village in Ngwedu sub-county.
Minister of State for Minerals, Phiona Nyamutoro who handed over the final batch of the 100 resettlement houses and the land titles to the PAPs at Kibambura village in Ngwedu sub county in Buliisa says, the acquisition of land under the Tilenga project necessitated the preparation of several Resettlement Action Plans (RAPs) to manage the relocation and resettlement of the communities affected by the development of the Tilenga oilfields.
She says the acquisition of land for the Tilenga project followed transparent and participatory processes where communities were engaged, consulted, and involved in key decisions.
She adds that the RAP process included conducting surveys, valuations and consultations with landowners to ensure a fair and equitable resettlement process stating that compensation packages were developed not just to account for land value but also to ensure long-term sustainability by providing resettlement housing and livelihood restoration programs.
Nyamutoro further stated that the government’s approach to resettlement is underpinned by the broader commitment to sustainable development Goals.
She says the commitment aligns with the National Oil and Gas policy 2008 and other legal frameworks that prioritize the well-being of Ugandans in all oil and gas operations.
Nyamutoro says the government will continue to work with its partners including TotalEenrgies and its joint venture partners and the community leaders to ensure that the benefits of the oil and gas sector are shared equitably elaborating that the government will ensure that the communities settling around the Tilenga project are not left out behind but are integral beneficiaries of the resource development.
According to Nyamutoro, the land titles offered to the PAPs are to provide the resettled families with legal security of tenure and also to make them have full ownership and control over their new homes adding that the land titles guarantee long-term security and prevent future disputes over land ownership.
Mariam Nampeera, the Deputy General Manager of TotalEnergies EP Uganda says TotalEnergies EP Uganda is conscious of its responsibility to support the economic upliftment of the Tilenga host community and most especially the project-affected persons.
She says their commitment to fulfill this responsibility has consistently been shown through the delivery of various initiatives under their Global Livelihood Restoration program that is consistent with international standards and requirements.
She further explains that the housing project is an important symbol of the commitment to undertake the Tilenga development project while observing the utmost human rights standards stating that TotalEnergies EP is taking all the necessary initiatives to ensure that they adequately restore and improve the living standards of the Project affected persons.
Nampeera says the houses were constructed under what the Project Affected Persons had in their former places of residence.
Fred Lukumu, the Buliisa LCV Chairperson says the people of Buliisa and Bunyoro at large have started feeling the impacts of oil and gas through the construction of the critical oil roads and other infrastructure established in the region.
He has appealed to the government to finalize all the critical processes in the sector to ensure that oil production commences soon.
Norah Bigirwa, the Buliisa Woman Member of parliament applauds TotalEnergies for embracing vocational training in the district that has seen people in the area being skilled in various vocational disciplines.
George Mukuukusa, one of the owners of the new houses applauded the government for availing them with land titles saying this will guard them from future land grabbers
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