Shs 1.2bln earmarked for tree planting in districts hosting EACOP

HOIMA, July 2, 2024 – As the Ugandan government gears up to drill first oil in the Albertine Graben next year, the implementers of the East African Crude Oil Pipeline [ EACOP ] have earmarked Shs1.2 billion to plant trees in the 10 districts affected by the pipeline expected to deliver the oil to the Indian Ocean port of Tanga in Tanzania.

According to John Bosco Habumugisha, Deputy Managing Director of EACOP Limited, the company running EACAOP, noted that they are currently sourcing for a partner to plant the trees, although he did not mention the number of trees to be planted.

He noted that the trees will be planted in the districts of Hoima, Kikuube, Kakumiro, Mubende, Gomba, Sembabule, Lwengo, Kyotera, and Rakai where EACOP will be traversing.

Shareholders of EACOP are Uganda National Oil Company [UNOC], Tanzania petroleum Development Corporation [TPDC], TotalEnergies and China National Offshore Oil Corporation [CNOOC].

The EACOP development comes at a time when a section of environmental activists from the West are demanding to stop the  EACOP construction over allegations that it has a diverse negative impact on the environment but the Ugandan government says this is not true.

In 2022 European Union Parliament made a resolution demanding EACOP to stop on grounds of allegations that it  ruin biodiversity and cause irreversible climate change and cause violation of human rights.

To arrest such fears from the environmentalists, the EACOP partners now districts that the line will pass to be planted with more trees.

“We are hiring an implementing partners to works with us so that when we plant trees. We will be planting in the EACOP districts, starting from  Hoima to Kyotera, and we are going to plant indigenous and fruits trees,” said Habumugisha.

He made the revelation on Wednesday as a team of officials from Petroleum Authority Uganda [PAU] led by Ernest Rubondo, the Executive Director were inspecting the progress of EACOP development projects in Hoima, kakumiro and Mubende districts.

Hadi Watfa, Delivery Manager said laying the infrastructure for the EACOP is going on as planned.

However he noted that EACOP will be completed without destroying the environment because they will be working in partnership with districts.

He noted that farmers are free to use the top soil for farming, adding that they have also put up a pond to collect running water, adding that dust will be controlled.

Rubondo commended the progress of the project, saying it gives hope as Uganda prepares to produce its first drop of oil next year.

He also commended EACOP for prioritising environmental protection, adding that PAU as the regulator of the oil sector follows international environmental standards and therefore, those opposing the project have no credible reasons .

In Uganda, the pipeline, 296 kilometre-long, will traverse 10 districts and 25 sub-counties. In Tanzania, the pipeline, 1,147km-long, will traverse 8 regions and 25 districts.  The construction of the proposed crude oil pipeline   will cost Shs 12 trillion and the pipeline will transport 400,000 barrels of oil per day.

Under this project Uganda and Tanzania are going to invest 30 percent while oil companies are to invest 70 percent of the total cost of the project. The project period is three years.

https://thecooperator.news/eacop-totalenergies-boss-snubs-european-parliament-invite/

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