The National Environment Management Authority (NEMA) has ordered the law enforcement agencies to crack whips at ”illegal” commercial charcoal dealers across the country.
NEMA says it has not issued any environmental impact assessment report to any commercial charcoal dealer.
The directive comes at a time when Uganda is losing its tree cover to increasing levels of illegal commercial charcoal production across the nation, with northern Uganda bearing the brunt.
Dr Barirega Akankwasah, the NEMA Executive Director, said police, local government and other enforcement agencies must act to stop the vice.
According to him, unregulated acts of commercial charcoal production decimate the already threatened forest cover, increases air pollution and degrades land.
He said the resultant impacts of climate change, respiratory diseases and loss of productivity of land can have far reaching consequences to the economy and wellbeing of the people.
Dr Akankwasah said to-date, NEMA has not issued any ESIA certificate for any commercial charcoal production and as such the commercial charcoal production across the country is illegal.
Last week, Gilbert Olanya, the Kilak South MP was arrested by police in Gulu City after his team intercepted trucks of charcoal and reportedly incited locals to loot the charcoal.
Olanya who recently launched a campaign on the escalating illegal charcoal trade in the region along with a group of vigilantes said he would not stop the fight.
Prior to that Odonga Otto, the former Aruu County MP intercepted a truck loaded with 380 bags of charcoal worth Shs24.7 million from Angagura Sub County in Pader District, and asked locals to offload and distribute among themselves.
Early this year, the ministry of environment banned issuance of documents facilitating the commercial production, trade, and transportation of charcoal.
A 2021 research report by Global Witness pinned security forces for aiding illicit charcoal trade in the East African region.
SOURCE: DAILY MONITOR
