Last week, a group of journalists from Kampala and Bunyoro region were taken for a tour to Kingfisher Development Area (KFDA) which is located at Buhuka Parish, Kyangwali Sub County, Buhaguzi County, Kikuube District (approximately 100Kms from Hoima Town). The KFDA is operated by the China National Offshore Oil Company (CNOOC) Uganda Limited and it operates in 3 Sub counties, 5 parishes and 29 villages.
In an exercise which was led by the CNOOC Head of Corporate Affairs Zakaria Lubega, reporters were taken through numerous projects including the overview of the project, proposed Oil well areas, ongoing construction of houses for Project Affected Persons (PAPs) among others. Lubega noted that majority of the processes like compensation of the PAPs had been made and soon real constructions would kick off.
He also noted that CNOOC never delayed the announcement of the Final Investment Decision (FID) because it is not an event but rather a process which has been ongoing across the board for all partners where one needs to acquire the land, have the environment and Social Impact Assessment Study undertaken and approved, as well as go through procurement processes.
Lubega noted that big contracts take a lot of time and resources, you need enabling laws from the government to ensure that there is proper legislation under which you will be operating and some of the legislations are as new as one to two weeks ago and some have not been approved.
“We were going through that process to ensure that when we make an announcement of FID, nothing is going to stop us and now that everything seems to be ready, we are one leg into FID and the other leg is closely following,” he added
Updates;
In regards to the environment update on the oil spill contingency plan for Kingfisher oil field and feeder pipeline, Nicholas Kiiza the CNOOC Environment Supervisor said that CNOOC Uganda has undertaken the implementation of the flood hazard and flood assessment study for Lake Albert shore of Kingfisher oil field to prepare for any oil spills in case they happen in future.
“We are undertaking a number of studies like the Meta Ocean Study, studying the behavior of the lake, we had undertaken hydrological study for lake Albert and other water bodies that are catchment to Lake Albert,” Kiiza added.
Under the Livestock and Agriculture Livelihood Restoration Program (LRP), PAPs in the region have received both agricultural and livestock inputs to boost their income. The ongoing Agriculture and Livestock projects for PAPS in Kyangwali Sub County are targeting over 250 households were PAPs have received crop inputs: maize and beans Livestock inputs: Boran bulls, goats, chicken and pigs among others.
There is also ongoing construction of resettlement houses for PAPs across 3 Sub Counties Kyangwali, Kabwoya and Buseruka. Since May 2021, CNOOC brought onboard two contractors to work at the different sites and construction work is still ongoing.
Lubega also noted that CNOOC Uganda Ltd has also conducted numerous engagements with Ugandans to support the National Content. “We held the Q3 Quarterly Supplier development engagement with suppliers and potential suppliers on 30 September 2021, completed the Enterprise Development online training program 2021 that trained over 150 SMEs from Albertine and Kampala regions and the Training and Licensing of 70 Heavy Goods Vehicle Drivers (2020 cohort),” he added.
In regards to Social Performance Progress, CNOOC in 2021 has organized successful gender & HIV sensitization, road Safety Awareness, design and feasibility for a Landing site at Buhuka Status and implementation has commenced Meeting Point Hoima Implementation has commenced CFT issued Better World Uganda.
