The authorities in Ntungamo district have attributed wetland encroachment to National Environment Management Authority (Nema)’s failure to cause the arrest of arrant rich people who have depleted water catchment areas in the district.
Speaking to environmental stakeholders during the advocacy meeting on environmental conservation and restoration of Rufuuha Wetland in Ntungamo on Wednesday, held, Tumwebaze Dinnah the senor environment officer noted that Nema has not done much to implement the environmental policies and laws accordingly.
However, Tumwebaze revealed that the district is coming up with the environment ordnance to protect, restore and penalize whoever continues to encroach wetlands.
While visiting the Rufuuha catchment area in Rweikiniro and Ngoma sub counties in Ruhaama and Rushenyi counties respectively the leaders were shocked to find a 1.5 km trench and eucalyptus trees in the middle of the wetland.
The coordinator of operation wealth creation Ntungamo district Brigadier John Tumwebaze asked Nema officials to wake up and arrest all rich people whom he called untouchables to restore the degraded areas.
Brigadier Tumwebaze noted that leaders will not keep on lamenting yet there are environmental laws in place but are not being implemented.
The founder of Ab’Endagaano Development Foundation Dr. Beinomugisha Penninah Jambo castigated the selfish people who have degraded the Rufuuha wetland especially on the expense of low income earners.
Dr. Beinomugisha urged the law implementers to target those who adamantly continue to instigate the vice into others residents, a thing she said cannot be tolerated in the district.
Ab’Endagaano Development Foundation is a community based development organization operating in Ntungamo district aimed at nurturing value- based men and women leaders to accelerate the social- economic and political transformation amongst communities since its inception in early 2018 and is being funded by American NGO Global Green fund.
The Rweikiniro sub county Chief Turihamwe Robert Rwekuuta commended Ab’Endagaano Development Foundation for the initiative which will see Rufuha wetland restored and promised to arrest those who have degraded it.
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