Social Impacts of Land Acquisition for Oil and Gas Development in Uganda

Tom Ogwang,Frank Vanclay

doi:10.3390/land8070109

Abstract

Uganda’s oil and gas sector has transitioned from the exploration phase to the development phase in preparation for oil production (the operations phase). The extraction, processing, and distribution of oil require a great deal of infrastructure, which demands considerable acquisition of land from communities surrounding project sites. Here, we examine the social impacts of project land acquisition associated with oil production in the Albertine Graben region of Uganda. We specifically consider five major oil related projects that have or will displace people, and we discuss the consequences of this actual or future displacement on the lives and livelihoods of local people. The projects are: Tilenga; Kingfisher; the East African Crude Oil Pipeline; the Kabaale Industrial Park; and the Hoima–Kampala Petroleum Products Pipeline. Our findings reveal both positive and negative outcomes for local communities. People with qualifications have benefited or will benefit from the job opportunities arising from the projects and from the much-needed infrastructure (i.e., roads, health centres, airport) that has been or will be built. However, many people have been displaced, causing food insecurity, the disintegration of social and cultural cohesion, and reduced access to social services. The influx of immigrants has increased tensions because of increasing competition for jobs. Crime and social issues such as prostitution have also increased and are expected to increase.

Highlights

Commercial oil deposits were first discovered in the Albertine Graben region in western Uganda in 2006, and since the Government of Uganda has had plans for their exploitation, the target date for first oil has been postponed several times [1]
We argue that oil and gas development should not lead to a resource curse [27], Dutch disease, and/or the Nigerian disease [28]
We are investigating whether the presence of resources in Uganda is likely to lead to disempowerment rather than empowerment, making local communities more vulnerable to the activities and manipulations of local and global speculators, entrepreneurs, companies, and/or local political leaders, leading to a local resource curse

Summary

Introduction

Commercial oil deposits were first discovered in the Albertine Graben region in western Uganda in 2006, and since the Government of Uganda has had plans for their exploitation, the target date for first oil has been postponed several times [1]. The Government expects that the development of the oil and gas industry will accelerate economic growth, job creation, contribute to poverty eradication, and improve the general prosperity of Uganda [2,3,4]. The demand for land has led and will continue to lead to the displacement of large numbers of people [3,4,5]. Irrespective of their purpose, large projects require land, and sometimes very large tracts of land [6]

Methods

Findings

Discussion

Conclusion