Strengthening Environmental Accountability: Greenwatch’s Monitoring Visit to Oil and Gas Sites in Hoima
Greenwatch, represented by Judith Nansubuga, participated in a three-day (September 28th – 30th 2026 ) civil society field monitoring visit to oil and gas project sites in Hoima and the wider Albertine Graben.
The visit provided an opportunity to assess environmental and social performance, engage project representatives and affected communities, and follow up on recommendations previously raised by civil society organisations.
Field monitoring remains an important part of Greenwatch’s environmental accountability work. It helps civil society understand project activities on the ground, identify potential environmental and social risks, access information, and assess whether project developers are responding to concerns raised by communities and other stakeholders.
Day One: Reviewing Progress and Accountability
The first day focused on engagements around ongoing oil and gas activities in the Albertine Graben.
According to reports approximately 60–70% of recommendations previously raised by civil society had been implemented. Improvements observed included reduced noise, better management of air and water pollution concerns, fewer wildlife-related incidents, and measures aimed at supporting coexistence between project operations, surrounding communities and wildlife.
These observations demonstrated the value of continuous civil society engagement and follow-up in promoting responsible project implementation.
Day Two: Biodiversity Restoration at the Tilenga Project
On the second day, the monitoring team visited two sites under the Tilenga Project, operated by TotalEnergies EP Uganda: JOBIRII-02, a restored site, and JBR08, an operational site.
A Biodiversity Officer guided the team through both locations and explained the measures being undertaken to restore disturbed areas and conserve biodiversity alongside ongoing project activities.
The visit offered an opportunity to assess restoration measures at a completed site while also examining environmental safeguards at an active operational site.
Greenwatch further noted reports that more than 2,000 trees had been planted as part of restoration and conservation efforts. Discussions also indicated that consideration was being given to acquiring a nearby private forest to support additional conservation and tree planting.
As the projects move closer to production, continued monitoring will remain important in determining whether restoration and biodiversity commitments deliver measurable long-term environmental benefits.
Day Three: Compensation, Livelihood Restoration and Emissions
The final day of the visit included engagements at Kabalega Industrial Park and EACOP Pump Station 1.
The visitim team engaged livelihood restoration officers and project representatives on land acquisition and compensation, livelihood restoration, emissions reduction, methane management and other environmental and social issues.
Our Staff Advocate Judith reported that complaints relating to compensation had reduced and that most project-affected persons had been compensated. Approximately 2% were reported to remain unpaid, with the relevant compensation funds deposited in court for affected persons to claim through the applicable legal processes.
The discussions also highlighted the importance of assessing livelihood restoration beyond compensation payments. Effective restoration should consider whether affected households are able to rebuild or sustain their livelihoods following displacement or loss of land.
Improvements in Waste Management
Waste management was another important area reviewed during the monitoring exercise.
Our Staff Advocate Judith reported reduced dumping into Lake Albert following the use of the Luaro waste-management facility, operated by the Uganda People’s Defence Forces and the National Enterprise Corporation.
Project operators were also reported to have entered into arrangements with local governments to collect non-hazardous waste, while the Luaro facility handles food waste and other potentially hazardous operational waste.
These measures represent progress, although continued oversight remains necessary to ensure that waste-management systems protect communities, water bodies and surrounding ecosystems.
Methane Management and Environmental Performance
The monitoring visit also provided an opportunity to discuss emissions reduction, including methane management.
As Uganda advances towards oil production, the management of methane and other emissions will be an increasingly important component of environmental accountability.
Greenwatch therefore continues to advocate for transparent monitoring, clear policies and public disclosure of information relating to emissions and environmental performance.
Strengthening Public Access to Information
One of the issues raised during the visit was that many of the environmental and social improvements taking place within project areas are not sufficiently known outside those areas.
Our recommendation as Greenwatch is to encourage project representatives to strengthen public communication and access to information on issues such as methane reduction, waste management, compensation, biodiversity restoration and livelihood changes among project-affected people.
Transparent and accessible information enables communities, civil society organisations, researchers and the wider public to meaningfully participate in environmental governance.
Continued Monitoring Remains Essential
The three-day field visit reaffirmed the importance of sustained civil society monitoring within Uganda’s oil and gas sector.
While improvements were observed in pollution control, compensation, waste management, biodiversity conservation and community engagement, continued monitoring remains necessary as the projects approach production.
The engagements also demonstrated the value of stakeholder feedback in improving project implementation.
Greenwatch will continue working with communities, project developers, government institutions and other stakeholders to promote transparency, environmental protection and accountability within Uganda’s oil and gas sector.
Greenwatch
We believe that environmental rights can be better exercised when people have access to information, can participate in decisions that affect their surroundings and have access to justice incase their rights are violated. Greenwatch exists to ensure that every individual in Uganda knows that they have environmental rights and these rights can be fully exercised through access to information, justice and public participation.
