The Uganda National Roads Authority says that compensations will not get in the way of Constructing the Critical Oil Roads which have to be in place by the year 2019 to facilitate the movement of raw materials that will facilitate the construction of an Oil Refinery, Pipeline and International Airport in the Albertine Region.
In the past UNRA has been faced with challenges of compensations which have ended up stalling the process of construction
As the Uganda National Roads Authority embarks on the quest of constructing 600km of roads in the Albertine Region, UNRA is positive that nothing will stand in their way that will affect them and prevent them from meeting the deadline
The 600km are expected to cost 600 Million dollars with slightly over 100 million dollars of that money used for land acquisitions and Compensations, UNRA says that it has already commenced with the payment of people who are seating on the said land.
According to the Uganda National Roads Authority, 60% of the land is under the Uganda Wildlife Authority and National Forestry Authority which has eased the work compensations
Some of the roads that UNRA aims to construct pass through eco-systems like swamps and forests and have proved to be impassable especially when their is a slight change in weather, An example of those roads is the Kaseeta - Lwera junction on our way to Kabaale in Hoima district where we got stuck for a couple of minutes due to the slippery terrain
Other parts of the critical oil roads will have to pass through game parks and game reserves and utmost attention to detail will be required during the construction to protect the wildlife, perhaps it will also boost tourism
As the Uganda National Roads Authority continues to put emphasis on the construction of the roads that will link the Oil Districts of Buliisa and Hoima and facilitate the construction of the pipeline, airport and refinery, the Authority says that they will also have to protect the environment