Religious leaders from the Inter-Religious Council of Uganda (IRCU) have urged that everyone in Uganda should have an equal chance to benefit from the ongoing oil and gas projects, especially within the Bunyoro region. They made this call during a visit to the oil projects, organized by the Petroleum Authority of Uganda.
Sheikh Shaban Ramadan Mubaje, who led the IRCU delegation, praised the progress of the oil projects but raised concerns about who would benefit from them. He emphasized that it is essential for every Ugandan to share in the advantages of oil discovery. Mubaje also stressed the need for fair compensation and relocation for those affected by pipeline construction, citing positive examples of successful relocations.
During the visit, the religious leaders expressed confidence in the environmental safety measures put in place. Dr. Joseph Sserwadda, the presiding apostle of the Born Again Faith, clarified that no oil had been extracted from the ground yet, dispelling rumors circulating on social media.
Seth Muhumuza, the stakeholders’ management officer at the Petroleum Authority of Uganda, assured the public that the oil and gas project was progressing as planned. Land acquisition was reported to be at 88% for the East African Crude Oil Pipeline (EACOP), 97% for the Tilenga project, and 100% for the Kingfisher project.
Nanang FR, a representative from the drilling company working at the Njiri 3 well pad in the Tilenga project, revealed that they are currently drilling oil reservoirs at 13 wells located beneath Lake Albert. Each oil well has varying depths, with the longest well reaching 2,100 meters and 1,700 meters below the surface. The drilling process is ongoing as they target oil reservoirs in Lake Albert.
Uganda anticipates its first oil extraction to occur in 2025.
