Experts concerned about Kibiro oil spill

ENVIRONMENT   NATURE

HOIMA - An African archaeologists body has urged the Government to ensure environment-friendly ways are followed while drilling temperature gradient holes and conducting geothermal surveys at the Kibiro salt-producing village in Kigorobya sub-county, Hoima district. 

The president of the Pan-African Archaeological Association (PAA), Dr Freda Nkirote M'Mbogori, said this will help protect the cultural heritage for the benefit of the local communities.

M'Mbogori said the Government should carry out a holistic cultural heritage impact assessment at the highest standard possible that protects both the livelihoods of the local communities and the site's history as well as cultural resources.

PPA is a cross-national organization that unites African nations for the study, protection, promotion and stewardship of the continent's rich archaeological and cultural heritage resources.

The spill, which occurred on March 29 and lasted nine hours, contained natural gas, clay, water, drilling fluids, mud, sand, sediments and traces of crude oil.

This caused fear among the area residents, particularly fishermen, who argued that the spillage that entered into Lake Albert could harm the ecosystem and fishing, which is their only source of livelihood.

The geothermal exploration site was located a few metres from the hot springs and salt mining area, which is a main economic activity of the local women. 

The exploration activity conducted by Royal Techno Industries has since been halted pending an environmental and social impact audit. The audit report is yet to be released by the National Environment Management Authority (NEMA).

Uganda is hoping to generate 100MW from its geothermal resources by 2025.

In a September 1 letter to the culture and heritage fraternity in Uganda, M'Mbogori said PAA is concerned about threats to heritage assets supporting community livelihoods by developments without a reliable mitigation plan to ensure long-term sustainability.

M'Mbogori said the importance of Africa's cultural heritage cannot be overemphasised because it constitutes important assets for every nation.

She said these are not only vital in the economic role they play, but also in building social cohesion, unity and maintaining the wellbeing of the communities.

M'Mbogori observed that over the past decades, Africa has suffered great loss of its most valuable archaeological sites that otherwise would have been a great resource in terms of revenue, pride, self-achievement and unity for its people.

She said lack of protection of the continent's heritage in the past was a lost opportunity to strengthen the values of the youth of the indigenous communities. 

These are currently disoriented by the inherited marginalisation arising from economic extractive policies that are insensitive to their wellbeing and needs.

She said the rewards of implementing an environmental and social heritage assessment at Kibiro will confirm that development can go hand in hand with heritage preservation. She said this will also show that the Government does not pay lip service to the promotion of its cultural heritage resources.

M'Mbogori said the sanctity of Kibiro is re-emphasised by the archaeological investigations that documented its unique salt extraction industry as an important pillar in the development of internal trade, urbanism and states.

"Today, salt extraction is still an important source of revenue, largely in the hands of women. Its cultural and historical uniqueness has been officially recognised by its inscription on UNESCO's tentative world heritage list," M'Mbogori said.

The economic and social value of these non-renewable resources, she said, is recognised and accredited by major international financial institutions. These institutions should be at the forefront of integrating them into their environmental and social management plans for infrastructural development financing.

The PAA president said the impact assessment should cover the entire area earmarked for the geothermal electricity project and all other areas that might be impacted by associated infrastructural development in order to mitigate any unintended outcomes.

She added that the area should be cognizant of a buffer zone recommended by UNESCO. 

M'Mbogori proposed that all heritage resources within the area be urgently protected by national legislation and international conventions, to which Uganda is a signatory.