Lake Albert shores
By: Nuwamanya mercy
Worth Noting:
- “In May 2020, nature showed us what it can do if disturbed, we all witnessed the floating island in Jinja near Owen falls dam and Nalubale dam that led to total black out in the country, displacement of people, submerging of recreational places such as beaches, markets, people’s homes, graves, roads and gardens including landing sites therefore if we continue practicing these habits of deforestation, the future generation is likely to be at risk.
- The same problem is currently being experienced along Lake Albert shores specifically Wansenko and Butiaba Town councils in Bulisa districts where the oil pipeline will be passing this is likely to affect all the aquatic species in the lake and also the people staying near the lake are likely to suffer the consequence.
On the global level, it’s noted that Uganda is one of the countries in Africa with the highest deforestation rate estimated at about 2.6 percept per annum. This rate is too high to be ignored by all Ugandans of good will on the future and sustainable utilization and management of natural resources given our constitution 1995, Uganda vision 2040, UNDP II and III, SDGs 2030 and African Union Agenda 2063.
All these provide for conservation and sustainable use and management of natural resources for economic growth and development, hence the need to protect the remaining natural forests, green cover and all natural resources in the country for the future generation and for climate regulation.
A natural forest is a non-renewable resource implying that once destroyed, it cannot be recovered fully. This implies that there are irreversible effects that come along with it such as the formally tourism attraction potentiality, regulation of climate, medicine, creeping plants and some wild animals such as snakes, birds and insects.
However, converting a forest into a farmland such as sugar cane growing tantamount to destroying nature, biodiversity, biomass, eco system, future incomes and animal habitats including distorting the climatic conditions of the area.
“In May 2020, nature showed us what it can do if disturbed, we all witnessed the floating island in Jinja near Owen falls dam and Nalubale dam that led to total black out in the country, displacement of people, submerging of recreational places such as beaches, markets, people’s homes, graves, roads and gardens including landing sites therefore if we continue practicing these habits of deforestation, the future generation is likely to be at risk.
The same problem is currently being experienced along Lake Albert shores specifically Wansenko and Butiaba Town councils in Bulisa districts where the oil pipeline will be passing this is likely to affect all the aquatic species in the lake and also the people staying near the lake are likely to suffer the consequence.
As country, we are also poor in effectively implementing environmental laws such as the 200m buffer zone, 30m from the wetland, the plastic and polythene bag act of 2009, these further accelerate deterioration in Uganda’s environmental quality.
The argument by NEMA that it only approved grassland and not the forest does not hold water given the fact that the grassland near the forest acts as expansion area for the forest and the grazing and fertilisation place for the animals and other inhabitants of the forest. It is also important for ecology and biodiversity conservation.
It’s unfortunate that many malls and buildings some belonging to powerful politicians, business persons constructed in wetlands and other protected areas it is really a shame for NEMA not to see that and come up with a strict law penalising those misusing the wetlands.
Seasons have changed due to the fact that deforestation is at the biggest percentage and in a return this has affected the agricultural sector because forests that used to bring rain are being cut by people in such for firewood, charcoal and timber. This therefore would result into starvation and hunger, poor productivity of agricultural products and the country is likely to lose on revenue especially on cash crops that are being exported to other countries.
The presence of Bugoma contributes to many jobs and revenues both directly and indirectly such as forest officers, UWA staff, tourist guides, pilots, taxi drivers, and companies that are involved in the hospitality and timber processing.
Like COVID 19, environmental issues should also be treated as emergency cases. Although the effects of environmental destruction are not immediate, they could be worse than those of COVID-19.
Lastly, for sustainable environmental management and utilization in Uganda, there is need for effective implementation of the existing environmental laws; independent, capable, well facilitated, equipped and incorruptible environmental regulation authority, coordination among all the MDAs involved in environmental protection and management, sensitisation of Ugandans, on the importance of the clean and sustainable use of the environment, adequate training of all environmental actors including media, environmental activists, environmental officers in central local governments in environmental valuation, evaluation, accounting and other environmental issues, encouraging use of environmentally friendly technologies, subsidisation of alternative energy sources such as gas, solar and electricity, encouraging agroforestry and eco-tourism activities, strengthening the law on the conversion of forests on private land among others.
There must be continuous monitoring and data up dating on all environmental and natural resources in the country including those on private land.
Nuwamanya mercy
Research Associate @ AFIEGO
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