Assessing the impacts of compensation of land owners on the duration and cost of road projects in Uganda

Abstract

The study set out to assess the impact of compensating land owners on the cost and duration of road projects in Uganda. The study found out that compensations to land owners were marred with a lot of challenges right from the process of land acquisition to the effects of these challenges on the contract time and cost. The study found out the challenges encountered during land acquisition to include land disputes, resistance from land owners, litigation, absentee land lords, inadequate funds for compensation where the government is the payer, inadequate and imprompt compensation leading to complaints and resistance among others. The overall effect of these challenges was found out to be delays in project implementation. Delays had further effects on project implementation in terms of increased contract time and increased contract sum. The methodology involved surveys through interviews, questionnaires to obtain primary data and also secondary data was obtained from various books from act books to obtain legislative literature. The recommendations are that in order to expedite the speed of construction on most road projects, the various stake holders should sit and ensure that the compensation process is fair, prompt and adequate according to article 26 of the constitution to avoid delays that have eventually led to increased contract time and cost. This study is significant for Uganda as developing country where projects should be implemented successfully to foster development. The findings will help both land policy makers, UNRA, ministry of works, contactors on road projects in their work.