The identification of persons affected by the LAPSSET project will commence next week, the National Lands Commission County Coordinator James Long'ole has said.
He added that a proper inspection and survey process will be done by a technical team from the National Ministry of Lands and Physical Planning, Ministry of Petroleum and Mining, LAPSSET and National Land Commission.
“Identified vocal point person through the corridor will walk with the survey team to identify the project affected persons and the improvements on the lands. Compensation for the improvements on the land will be paid directly to the affected communities. Compensation for the unregistered land will be paid to the County Government," said Longole.
He was speaking when a Multi-Sectoral team of officers from the National Land Commission, Ministry of Petroleum and Mining and Ministry of lands visited and carried out a sensitization meeting with the community in Turkana South and East on the LAPSSET Project in Turkana
Plans for the LAPSSET corridor include a pipeline, a railway line, a road network connecting Lamu, Garissa, Isiolo, Moyale and Turkana. There are also plans to establish numerous industrial areas along the corridor.
The land acquisition program will start from Nachola in Samburu County, Ngilukia, Kamuge, Elelea, Morulem, Lotubae and Nakukulas in Turkana County.
Elsama Ndengwa the director of Administration in the Ministry of Petroleum said that the 824km pipeline is expected to run from Lokichar to Lamu.
He said that Turkana County residents will be affected by LAPSSET corridor as soon as the second phase of the oil project starts.
“During commercialization, the steel insulated pipeline will be one metre down the ground. This is because the crude oil is waxy and needs hot water to pump it to the factory,” said Ndegwa.
He reiterated that the process needs a lot of water from Turkwel Dam for irrigation and the pipeline.
“17,000 barres will be used by the community for irrigation and the other 17,000 barrels will be used for the oil project. I urge residents to support this project to ensure its success,” he said.
The Team Leader Community Land Act, Truphosa Achar urged the Turkana residents to register their communal land when the registration begins.
Turkana residents have urged the government through the Ministry of land and National Land commission to initiate a process to register their land so that they can obtain title deeds.
Long'ole further clarified that earlier reports indicating that 516 people would be compensated were wrong adding that 516 referred to the coordinates.
He said that Amosing has 180, Twiga has 106 while Ngamia has 230 coordinates totalling 516 coordinates for gazetted oil fields.
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