"Buliisa residents turn down ‘meagre’ government compensation"

Residents of the oil-rich district of Buliisa have rejected government’s proposed compensation for their land to pave way for the Central Processing facility (CPF) project. Government released a programme for relocation and resettlement of the affected people but the residents say the government compensation rates are too low for their land. Government, Total E&P Uganda and Tullow Uganda operations Pty Ltd have completed assessing properties for the project affected persons (PAPs) in the villages of Kasenyi, Kisomere, Uduk II, Kibambura, Mvule, Ajigo, Kirama, Kigwera north East, Kigwera south East and Bikongoro.

The land, measuring about 310 hectares, will host a CPF, access road and a base camp during petroleum development activities, according to the Resettlement Action Plan. The Ngwedo Sub-county chairperson, Mr Gilbert Kaliisa, says the affected residents claim the compensation rates which government plans to use to pay them are inadequate. “The residents have insisted that the Shs2.1m which government intends to pay for each acre of land is low and instead want Shs21m per acre,” Mr Kaliisa said. He said while the Shs2.1m is meant for permanent acquisition of each acre of land, oil companies have previously paid them an annual rent of more than Shs4m per acre per year. According to the Resettlement Planning Committee chairperson, Mr Gerald Mulimba, more than 800 PAPs have unanimously rejected the compensation rates for the land, crops and structures. “We have instead unanimously demanded that each acre be compensated at Shs21m,” Mr Mulimba said.