Tree planting campaign starts in EACOP-affected districts

By Peter Abaanabasazi

KIKUUBE - As the Government gears up for the production phase of oil and gas in the Albertine region, the implementers of the East African Crude Oil Pipeline (EACOP) project have kicked off tree-planting campaigns.

The campaigns, they say, are being rolled out in the 10 districts affected by the EACOP project to advocate for environmental conservation.

The EACOP project is being implemented by the governments of Uganda through the National Oil Company (UNOC) and Tanzania through the Petroleum Development Corporation (TPDC), Total Energies and the China National Offshore Oil Corporation (CNOOC) under the company called EACOP LTD.

EACOP LTD has contracted China Petroleum Pipeline Engineering Co. Ltd to carry out the construction works.

EACOP deputy managing director John Bosco Habumugisha said the trees will be planted in Hoima, Kikuube, Kakumiro, Mubende, Gomba, Sembabule, Lwengo, Kyotera and Rakai.

Speaking to New Vision Online in an interview on February 21, 2025, Habumugisha said the planting campaign of an unspecified number of trees has already started in Hoima and Rakai.

According to him, in Bunyoro region, EACOP is partnering with the Hoima Catholic Diocese to plant trees in the region.

He said the project is expected to destroy many trees, which would impact the environment and that it is from this point that they decided to secure funds to plant trees.

He noted that under this campaign, which is projected to cost shillings 1.2 billion, they will only plant fruit and indigenous tree species. 

On progress of the project

Without giving the percentage, Habumugisha said they are currently in the middle of the construction for different EACOP project infrastructures such as pump station one (PS1) and main camp and pipe yard one (MCPY1).

He added that they have also started clearing the right way for pipelines and welding in different areas.

He added that pipelines are also being delivered in Uganda and Tanzania and construction of different sites is ongoing. 

“We are in the middle of the construction and this year is the peak of construction year for EACOP, which is one of the oil and gas major infrastructures,” he said.

Habumugisha said different local companies are participating in the project's implementation adding that 85% of the people working on the project in Uganda are locals.