More experts in the Oil and Gas sector have continued to condemn the recent European Union resolution calling for the delay by at least a year of East African Crude Oil Pipeline (EACOP) project.
The EU lawmakers sighted among other things, violations of human rights in Uganda and Tanzania as well as pollution of the environment and a number of water sources calling for an alternative route to better safeguard protected and sensitive ecosystems.
Speaking to KFM, Ellison Karuhanga an advocate and partner at Kampala Associated Advocates and co-head Oil, Gas, Energy and Mining says the resolution is not only not binding but is also unfair, malicious and unacceptable.
“First of all, the resolution is not binding on the EU itself, European countries and the republic of Uganda. This resolution was the opinion of overzealous members of the EU parliament. That resolution was absolutely unfortunate, utterly malicious and it’s not just an opinion but it is an unworthy opinion, its one thing these people did not have the facts right, they chose to ignore the facts, for the first time we are seeing the attitude that elected member of EU parliament have towards the people of Africa.” Karuhanga said.
According to Karuhanga, the lawmakers were wrong on facts despite some of them being in Uganda on a fact finding mission over the EACOP project.
“Their allegations are easily rebuttable and utterly nonsensical, for example; they claim the pipeline will pollute Lake Albert but EACOP does not pass through L. Albert, everybody knows the pipeline starts from Hoima to Tanga and everybody knows there is no Lake Albert In Hoima,” says Karuhanga.
He adds that “they claim that EACOP will pollute water sources of 40 million people that means every Ugandan water from every river and lake would be affected, that nonsense upon nonsense, again they claim that EACOP will displace 100,000 people but the truth is that the project affects 500 households totaling less than 5000 people all of whom land can only be used once they have been adequately compensated.”
