Youth key in struggle for good governance in oil sector

Sep 02, 2014

After waiting for years in vain to be relocated from Kabale parish to pave way for the oil refinery, Innocent Tumwebaze and fellow youths resolved to form a local pressure group.


trueBy Diana Taremwa

After waiting for years in vain to be relocated from Kabale parish to pave way for the oil refinery, Innocent Tumwebaze and fellow youths resolved to form a local pressure group, Proposed Oil Refinery Residents Association (PORRA).
 
This pressure group has been working in partnership with Africa Institute for Energy Governance (AFIEGO), a local NGO to highlight the plight of the refinery affected people, who have been unfairly compensated, haven’t been relocated and are under the mercy of the ferocious refinery developers.
 
AFIEGO in a bid to seek justice for these affected people helped them file a civil suit at the High court in Kampala and ruling on this case is this month. In the suit, the petitioners say the process of acquiring 29sq km of refinery land was carried out in violation of their right to property and prompt, adequate and fair compensation.
 
Innocent is a model for many youth in this country, and is an epitome of courage and resilience in the struggle to ensure that the newly discovered oil wealth enhances the betterment of people’s socio-economic well-being rather than condemning them to perpetual suffering.
 
Recently, 200 families were violently evicted from their land in Rwamutonga Village, Bugambe Sub County, Hoima District to pave way for a waste treatment plant .
 
Houses were broken down and burnt to ashes, clothes set on fire and property destroyed. The youth who constitute over 80% of Uganda’s population and therefore the majority in every society should stand up, champion for good governance in the fledging oil and gas sector.
 
 Youth should be the voice for these disadvantaged communities that continue to be affected by oil development projects.
 
  As the oil sector progresses, into the development and commercialization phase, communities in the oil region will suffer more displacements from oil investments and infrastructure. The development phase entails oil field development, construction of internal pipelines to link the oil fields located at the shores of Lake Albert as well as the construction of the long awaited 60,000 barrels per day refinery in Kabale Parish Buseruka Sub County in Hoima district.
 
Two final bidders for the refinery are currently in negotiations with the Government of Uganda, a lead investor is expected to be announced by October. Youth should be empowered to advocate for respect of human rights amidst oil developments.
 
One does not need to belabor the point that the youth in the oil region , if given the required support can contribute meaningfully to the governance of oil however bringing these youths onboard the oil  development wagon becomes the responsibility of those in authority.
 
There should be strategic mechanisms by government, civil society organizations aimed at bringing the youth at the forefront of strengthening policies on oil governance. Oil as a finite resource which is likely to be exhausted in 3 decades, the youths who hold the future of this nation need to be empowered to meaningfully participate in the sector, advocate for transparency so as safeguard their own future as well as that of the generations to come.
 
And only then will their dream of the oil sector delivering the much needed jobs become a reality.
 
The writer works with Africa Institute for Energy Governance
dtaremwa@afiego.org

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