Locals protest over land for Pader oilseed project 

Residents of Pader Sub-county have protested a move by the Pader District administration to allocate 2,611 acres in Agora Ranch to a local investor for the production of oilseeds.
 They said if part of the ranch is given to Panacea Agribusiness Ltd, more than 3,000 farmers in the five villages of Agweng East, Agweng West, Agora, Biwang, and Tyer would have nowhere to grow their crops.

 Mr Michael Wanje, the chief administrative officer (CAO) of Pader, said the District Land Board has given out the land to the investor, adding that the developer has been tasked to start the process of acquiring a leasehold title.
 The secretary to the District Land Board, Mr Mark Lamson Okello, confirmed the development.

 “The District Land Board in its sitting on November 30,, 2023,  in compliance with section 59(1) (a) of the Land Act, Cap.277, allocated the company land measuring approximately 2,611 acres in Agora Ranch,” he said.
 Mr Job Collins Okello, the chief executive officer of Panacea Agribusiness Ltd, said the district has given them only five months to ensure they have processed the land legal documents.
 He said between 2025 and 2030, the company expects to work with more than one million farmers as they venture into the production of soybeans, maize, and sunflower, among others.

 “Eighty percent of  labourers and 90 percent of raw materials will be obtained from the local communities as we plan to get over 630,000 metric tonnes of produce,” he said on Monday.
 The Chairman of Pader Sub-county, Mr Kainan Okello, said:  “This land belongs to the local communities and it will displace more than 3,000 people.  How can they allocate lands that are not for the district to investors without consulting the locals?” Mr Okello said.

 Pader District Councillor, Mr Charles Ray Okwir, said the district land board allocated the land to the investor without following the laws. 
 “Council accepted that the land in Acholi Ranch can be accessed and utilised by any investor but not Agora Ranch. They have flouted the process for their selfish interest because even their term of office had expired by the time 2,611 acres of land were given out,” he said.
 Mr Cipiryano Oming, 89, said the contested territory is their ancestral land, adding that it does not have any space for such development. 

 “I know they are looking for money from the investor but they should not sell us,” he said.
 The Aruu County Member of Parliament, Mr Christopher Komakech, assured the affected local communities that no one would take away their customary land. 
 He advised leaders to desist from allocating land to investors without following due processes.

 In the past, Pader District Land Board allocated more than 13,000 acres of land in Acholi Ranch and Agora Ranch amid protests from locals.  Pura Organic Agrotech Ltd was  allocated 10,500 acres in Acholi Ranch and Uganda Investment Authority (500 acres) for the establishment of an industrial park.