Government to displace 14 villages for oil refinery

By Samuel Sanya

Fourteen villages within Buseruka Sub-county in Hoima district are due to be relocated to pave way for the construction of an oil refinery by the government.

Although the destination of the affected people is not yet clear, available information from the ministry indicates that there is an on-going process to establish land ownership and related compensation.

“The main objective of the Resettlement Action Plan (RAP) is to develop a framework for managing the loss economic activities and livelihoods through compensation and resettlement from the site of the local people,” Robert Kasande, the Refinery Project manager said in a statement.

A UK consulting firm, Foster Wheeler Energy limited estimated that costs of building a 60,000 barrels per day capacity refinery can be recouped in two years and two months.