By Flavia Ajok
As part of ensuring oil and gas development activities register minimal negative impact on ecology in their areas of Bunyoro and West Nile Sub regions especially in the Murchison Falls National Park, Totalenergies EP is escalating its efforts towards environment protection through its sustainable bio-diversity program.
Journalists from Hoima and Masindi districts were on Saturday taken through how the company’s activities under the Tilenga project are being carried out while ensuring biodiversity protection.
While addressing the journalists in Nwoya district, Richard Angubo from TotalEnergies with experience on the biodiversity conservation program disclosed that the company has so far implemented a program on biodiversity protection, which focuses on protecting and conserving biodiversity in the Albertine and West Nile regions.
He said that the program aligns with the company’s commitment to minimizing environmental impacts and achieving a “net positive gain” for biodiversity and local communities.
He added that once facilities for the well pads are decommissioned and the oil pipelines are laid underground, all foreign materials are removed from the site and only the top soil from vegetated bund walls are returned for the natural growth of vegetation.
Alex Atukwase a geochemist working with Petroleum Authority of Uganda disclosed that as government they regulate and keep an eye on the project implementers so that The Tilenga Biodiversity Program is implemented.
He commended Totalenergies for being on top of their game as far as the environment and biodiversity protection is concerned.
