Civil society in DRC speaks out on Uganda’s FID

By Benjamin Jumbe

A group of civil society organisations from Uganda and the Democratic Republic of Congo have called for more action to protect the environment and wellbeing of citizens against any negative impacts of oil production.

This comes days after the Uganda government alongside international oil companies TotalEnergies and CNOOC announced the Final Investment Decision (FID) for the Lake Albert oil project.

In a joint communique the over 50 CSOs note that the way the Ugandan oil sector is being managed leaves no doubt that the sector will not benefit ordinary men and women but could instead leave communities, the country and region at large worse off, despite signing of the FID.

They also observed that the environmental risks of all the oil and especially EACOP projects and the Human wildlife Conflict remained unaddressed and now recommend that both the Ugandan government and oil companies must avoid commencement of oil production to give courts time to determine the cases before them to stop the social and environmental dangers of oil activities.

President Museveni at the signing of the FID lashed out at the CSO accusing them of spreading falsehoods to undermine development of the sector.

Written by Noelyn Nassuuna