Often times, host communities loose out when development project come into their communities. Issues dispossession of land, natural heritage and livelihoods arise. These are the challenges that residents of Hoima district confront since government of Uganda started developing oil projects after the discovery of commercially viable crude oil deposits in their area.

Hoima residents whose properties were affected by the construction of a 92 KM Hoima-Kaiso Tonya road in the Oil region lost their compensation money to ghost property owners. The road construction project affected more than 2000 residents; however, not all affected residents have been compensated. Some affected residents say the compensation was inadequate while other lost out completely.

Yesterday, some official from Uganda National Roads Authority (UNRA) admitted to have paid some of the sh12.4b that was earmarked for compensation to ghost property owners. But who are these ghost owners?