By Guest Writer
OPINION: Editor, a lot of attention has been put on the East Africa crude oil pipeline (EACOP) project, leaving behind the oil finished product pipeline.
The 211-kilometer multi-product pipeline will transport the refined oil from Hoima district, Kabaale, and Buseruka sub-county to Mpigi district.
It is believed that by the end of this, over 68% of the community-affected persons of the EACOP project will have been compensated.
However, most of the people in the finished oil product pipeline haven’t been compensated for their land and other property, yet the proposed acquisition of land for the refined petroleum products pipeline from Hoima to Kampala was completed on June 24, 2021.
This has caused most PAPS affected by the finished oil product pipeline to lose hope in this oil project because the government is only handling the PAPS affected by the EACOP project.
Since 2021, oil-finished product pipeline affected persons (PAPS) have been stopped from using their land for agricultural activities and other human activities to pave away the oil developments.
The delayed compensation by the government is likely making the PAPS hate the project, which will affect the development of the project.
Most of the finished oil product affected persons (PAPS) who have not yet received their compensation were asking themselves whether the government will give them a special uplift.
This is because they have taken a lot of years without getting their compensation money.
In April 2022, the government paid some PAPS while leaving others unpaid.Since then, the government has been promising to compensate the PAPS, but up until now, the money has not been put into the PAPS accounts.
Through several phone calls and engagements with the responsible people handling the compensation processes, they promised the PAPS affected by the finished oil product pipeline that their money will be in their accounts by October 2022; when the month reached, they changed it to December 2022.
After December, they told the PAPS it would not go beyond January 2022. Today, it is mid-February 2023, and nothing has happened. This is going to cause a loss of trust between the PAPS and the government.
Therefore, I call on the government of Uganda to expedite the compensation processes for the Finished Oil Product persons. This will enable a good working relationship among the PAPS, the government, and the oil companies.
The author is Kato Paul, affected by the finished oil product pipeline in Kikuube District.
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