Africa-Press – Tanzania. THE East African Crude Oil Pipeline Company (EACOP) in Tanzania has handed over a total of 339 houses to physically displaced Project Affected Persons (PAPs) across eight pipeline affected regions.
The handing over of the last house marks the completion of the replacement houses for the EACOP Project – Tanzania section.
The regions affected were Kagera, Geita, Shinyanga, Tabora, Singida, Dodoma, Manyara and Tanga, involving 21 districts and 102 villages.
Of the 339 replacement houses and their ancillary structures, 43 were handed over to 30 PAPs affected by the early land acquisition for the main camps and pipe yards in 2022 in Missenyi, Muleba, Bukombe, Nzega and Singida districts.
The 296 houses were for households affected after acquiring land for the pipeline route covering 1,143 kilometres across eight regions.
Replacement houses are built on land bought by the Project and Tanzania Petroleum Development Corporation (TPDC) or the PAPs existing land.
“The handing over of the last replacement house concludes the long journey of the land acquisition process for the EACOP Tanzania section.
“This is not just a handing over, it’s a celebration of resilience, and the positive impact that responsible corporate practices can have on people’s lives.
“The replacement housing programme, comprising a total of 339 houses and their ancillary structures, has been a cornerstone of our commitment to households affected by the land acquisition process,” the EACOP General Manager, Tanzania Branch, Mr Wendy Brown disclosed this on Tuesday through his speech during the handing over event held in Tanga region.
Mr Brown said the construction of the replacement houses followed tough engagement with PAPs, the valuation process, disclosure, and a one-to-one briefing on compensation packages prior to signing compensation agreements.
He said as part of the housing package each PAP received with his/her house a 5000-litre water tank as well as a 400-watt solar array, complete with 200 ampere hour battery, inverter, and charger controller.
In addition, he noted that all project replacement houses are under a one -year warranty period.
“Within this timeframe, the project through their contractors shall be responsible to remedy any defects that may arise from the replacement houses,” he stated.
Mr Brown said the completion and handover of these houses mark a crucial milestone, signifying that we are ready to take the next steps towards the start of construction of the pipeline.
It is noteworthy that the construction of the houses was entrusted to local contractors employing people from local communities, reinforcing EACOP’s commitment to community involvement and sustainable development.
“The completion of the replacement housing programme demonstrates EACOP’s commitment to an international financing standards land acquisition process. We are proud to have collaborated with local contractors in the construction process, empowering the communities we serve and ensuring the highest quality construction for those impacted by the pipeline project,” he said.
The EACOP is a 1,443km crude oil export infrastructure that will transport Uganda’s crude oil from Kabaale – Hoima in Uganda to the Chongoleani Peninsula near Tanga Port in Tanzania for export to the international market.
This major export system includes 1,443 km (296 km in Uganda and 1147km in Tanzania) of insulated and buried 24” inch pipeline, six pumping stations, two pressure reduction stations and a marine export terminal in Tanzania.
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