Socio-Economic Effects of Oil Exploratory Activities on the Host Communities in Bunyoro Sub-region, Uganda

Abstract

The recent oil and gas exploration activities in the Albertine region of western Uganda have raised a debate on the plight of the local people at various scales. The research is to assess the potential negative impact that would have been caused by the oil exploratory activities. The objectives of the research are to examine the impact of exploratory activities on the host communities, to examine the impact of exploration activities on the socio well being on the host community and to assess the impact of these activities on the environment. The researcher used a qualitative method so that he would be able to get the actual feelings of the local community members. The researcher used local perspectives on the sociology-economic and environmental impacts of oil and gas exploration activities as a lens to examine the extent to which the “resource curse” and “resource blessing” theories are applicable in the oil and gas exploration sites in Uganda. There were increases of business activities in the region, there was an improvement on the socio well being of the people and there a negative impact on the environment.