In 2012 the government acquired 29 square Kilometer piece of land for the construction of the Oil refinery in 13 villages in Kabaale parish in Buseruka sub-county.
Minister Peter Lokeris handing over a land title to Richard Orebi in Kyakaboga village Buseruka sub county in Hoima district. Photo by Emmanuel Okello.
The
government has handed over 127 land titles to persons affected by the Oil
refinery project in Hoima district. These are part of the 133 titles
that are supposed to be issued to the oil refinery project affected
persons-PAPs.
In 2012 the
government acquired 29 square kilometers of land for the construction of
the Oil refinery in 13 villages in Kabaale parish in Buseruka sub-county.
More than 7,000 people were displaced and some of them resettled to Kyakaboga
village in Buseruka sub-county where the government acquired 533 acres of land and
constructed permanent houses.
However, since then, the project-affected persons -PAPs have been demanding their land Titles in vain despite the government committing itself that the titles
would be issued before they are resettled.
The titles
were on Thursday given to the Oil Refinery Project Affected Persons-PAPs in
Kyakaboga village in Buseruka sub-county by Peter Lokeris, the State Minister
for Energy and Mineral Development.
Lokeris says the processed titles are a guarantee to the PAPs to genuinely own
their land without interference. He says the handover of the Titles is yet
another key achievement made in the implementation of the Refinery Resettlement
Action Plan- RAP.
//cue in;”In order for…
Cue out…
body else will touch it,”//
He cautioned
the beneficiaries to take the titles very crucial and warned them from the sale of
their land.
//cue
in;” People can just…
Cue out:…is
the title,”//.
Lokeris further explains that the government is committed to ensuring that as the
oil and gas sector progresses, Bunyoro region and the entire country develop
rapidly with the oil and gas resource.
Honey
Malinga, the Acting Director Directorate of Petroleum in the Ministry of Energy
and Mineral Development says the six titles are yet to be given to the owners.
He explains that the owners did not have National Identification Cards.
//cue in;” It is true…
Cue out:… don’t get it,”//
Pius Wakabi,
the Bugahya County Member of Parliament says the issuance of the Titles will
protect the PAPs from land grabbers. He
wants the government to extend the exercise of giving free land titles to all
people living in Bunyoro since most people can’t afford to acquire the titles
yet they are being threatened with evictions.
//Cue in; “I
want to…
Cue out:…settling around here,”//
Grace Gipatho one of the project-affected persons says her title will give a big
boost to the protection of her land.
