Butamira Permit Holders To Get Sh400m

By Abubaker Mukose GOVERNMENT has set aside sh400m to compensate the 170 permit holders of the Butamira forest reserve, Jinja Resident District Commissioner Deo Kayongo has said. He was addressing members of the Butamira pressure group on Thursday. Kayongo said payments would commence soon after evaluation by the government valuer. “You will get fair and prompt compensation,” he said. Kayongo said trees in Butamira were to be valued as mature trees and compensated accordingly on top of disturbance allowances. “The Government will go ahead to relocate those affected to Iziru forest reserve. You will be getting new permits of occupancy,”Kayongo said. He told residents that the government undertook the decision to degazette Butamira with a view of increasing sugar production in the country to save foreign exchange spent of sugar imports. Uganda imports about 60,000 metric tones of sugar every year to meet the national demand of 180,000 metric tones each year. Kayongo said it is the government role to ensure that this country moves forward in terms of development. “the government cannot do something that would in the long run hurt the citizens. We never considered the Butamira people during negotiations for the sake of development. Please understand our position,” he said. Ends