MPs on the infrastructure committee have asked the Government to ensure fair compensation for the people living in the gazetted area for oil refinery.
Minister of lands, housing and urban development, Daudi Migereko
The committee on Tuesday tasked the minister of lands, housing and urban development, Daudi Migereko, to ensure fair compensation for the affected people.
A number of MPs complained that residents are being cheated because they do not understand land issues.
The Legislators asked Migereko to explain the procedure and the amounts involved in the ongoing compensation.
“The people have been cheaply paid without considering the value of their land. This land has oil and the price should not be like other pieces of land,” Patrick Amuriat (Kumi) said.
He insisted that the price should be higher.
Moses Magala, an official from the chief government valuer explained that although the tenants own the land on which oil is located, their rights are limited on the surface.
He added that there are standard value rate for land with minerals.
Magala told MPs that the compensation in the Albetine region is being done in accordance with the legal frame and has been determined by the market rate.
“According to the law, compensation should be fair. You should not make the person too much better off or worse off. We give according to current market rate,” Magala said.
Migereko asked for more time furnish the MPs with information regarding compensation.
By Mary Karugaba, The New Vision
