Oil: Compensation elicits mixed feelings

People that were affected by TotalEnergies’ Tilenga Oil Project in Buliisa district have revealed that some of their counterparts have not been compensated for their land and  infrastructure.

Stephen Rwothmio, a teacher and resident at Warukuba Centre, Warukuba sub-county, said, “Whereas they have compensated people in other sub-counties, a number of project-affected persons (PAPs) have not yet been compensated for their land and assets such as houses.”

Richard Byo, a resident of Ngwedo sub-country, said most people that have not been compensated are those that have disputes on their land.

“If you have fights or quarrels with neighbours on your land, [people in charge of compensation] will tell you to first sort those issues before compensating you,” he said.

Nevertheless, there are those who say that most of the project-affected people have been compensated. William Kisembo, a resident of Bugana village in Buliisa sub- county, said the number of people that have not yet been compensated is low and it is mainly because of land wrangles. He added that the oil projected has charged many people’s lives for the better.

“The [Tilenga oil] project has helped in the development of the area with the construction of good roads, hospitals and access to clean water. They have also provided bursaries to students, built better houses for those whose structures were demolished …,” he added.

TotalEnergies recently released their social impact report for 2024, which shows the kind of investments they have made at their oil project. The report went further to describe how they arrive at their compensation rates.

“In accordance with Ugandan law, the compensation rates applied for land, permanent buildings, rates for crops and temporary structures are determined based on market analysis conducted by an accredited appraiser from the District Land Boards and approved by the chief government valuer,” the report noted.

The international and national requirements for major infrastructure projects require all people whose primary residences are on land acquired for project activities to receive a replacement home that is equal to or better than what they had previously.

Thus, the resettlement action plans for Tilenga Project incorporated resettlement goals and principles, a legal and policy framework, a socio-economic baseline, just to mention a few.

Subsequently, 189 houses out of a planned 205 were completed by January 2024, according to the TotalEnergies report. Whereas, as of January 25, 2024, all project-affected people had been compensated for land acquired for the development of the industrial area in Buliisa.