Government together with the Petroleum Companies; Total E & P Uganda and Tullow Uganda Operations  Pty Limited, have completed an assessment of all the project affected persons (PAPS) and communicated the cut-off date for the industrial area under the resettle action plan 1 (RAP 1) for Tilenga project.

According to a joint statement from the 2 companies Total and Tullow Uganda, the proposed industrial area to be located in Ngwedo Sub County, Bulliisa District has been identified for the development of access roads, camps and the central processing facility.

“These facilities will require the permanent occupation of around three hundred and ten hectares (310 Ha) of Land. Following the completion of surveys of land, structures, crops and census of PAPs, a cut-off date of 16^th, 2017 was announced through radio stations, meetings and posters and flyers in Buliisa district,” the statement adds.

The statement furthers says the meetings are said to have been facilitated by Total E&P Uganda and Tullow Uganda Operations Pty Limited together with their consultants Atacama, Synergy and Nomad (Contractor) in Buliisa with participation from representatives of the Ministry of Energy and Mineral Development, Ministry of Lands, Housing and Urban Development, the Buliisa District Resettlement Coordination Committee (DIRCO) headed by the district Local Council 5 (LC5) Chairman, Simon Agaba Kinene, the Uganda Human Rights Commission and Civic Response on Environment and Development.

According to the statement, the ‘Cut-Off-Date’ is defined as the date designated by the project sponsor that serves as a cut-off period for its obligations to compensate affected, eligible assets, and is based on proper disclosure. The final RAP 1 cut-off-date was declared at the date of completion of the resettlement planning surveys, the inventory of affected assets, and the census of all affected persons. The data collected is being used to compute the valuation report and draft the Resettlement Action Plan.

“Following the declaration of the cut-off-date, any new person moving into occupying the demarcated industrial area in Kasinyi village shall not be eligible for compensation and /or resettlement assistance.Similarly; newly fixed assets such as structures, houses, shelters, animal sheds, buildings, crops and trees established in the industrial area after the cut-off date will be eligible for compensation,” the statement reads in part.

The upcoming key steps for the resettlement planning phase include:

• Disclosure of the strip maps
• Establishment of Resettlement Planning

Committees (RPC)

• Preparation of entitlements
• Preparation of the Resettlement Action Plan (RAP) and Livelihood Restoration Plan (RAP)
• Submission of the RAP/LRP documentation to Government for review and approval.

The statement adds that during this period of time, the PAPs may continue to live and work in the industrial area, cultivating and harvesting their annual crops for subsistence purposes, and grazing their animals until compensation and resettlement assistance has been rendered. After the delivery of compensation and resettlement assistance for PAPs, no activities will be allowed on the industrial area land.

“The delivery of compensation and resettlement assistance implementation phase can only begin after Government of Uganda’s approval of the Resettlement Action Plan. Physical markers have been set-up to demarcate the industrial area and a grievance management mechanism has been put in place to handle all grievances arising out of the assessments,” says the statement, adding that: “All persons within the demarcated area are encouraged to attend community meetings and listen out for the radio announcements that are ongoing to enhance their understanding of the “cut-off-date” and its implications. The images of the demarcated area can be found on notice boards at the districts, sub counties and all Total Notice boards,” the statement further concludes.