Kinkizi West Member of Parliament James Ruggi Kaberuka has advised Uganda Wildlife Authority-UWA to provide study scholarships to students who live near game parks.
Kaberuka urged that scholarships would create a positive atmosphere between people near game parks and the way they treat tourism species.
The legislator made this call on Thursday while meeting with officials from UWA with an aim of finding a lasting solution to the challenges being faced by the people who live on the borders of national parks.
The meeting was attended by the Chief Warden of Queen Elizabeth Conservation Area Pontious Ezuma who was accompanied by Kato Iasiah and Kapere Richard.
He also called for affirmative action during the recruitment of UWA rangers and warders so that the local people can benefit directly from human resource development of National Parks.
Kaberuka further asked Uganda Wildlife Authority to help work on the road infrastructure on the periphery of the National parks as a corporate social responsibility by working on the roads since they also use them to connect to the conservation areas.
The MP said that whereas the government is working towards the operationalizing the issue of compansation to people whose lives and property are killed by wildlife, UWA should meanwhile always listen to the communities so as to work together to minimize such incidents.
Speaking at the same meeting, Mr Ezuma pledged that all the issues raised will be taken to the UWA Headquarters for further discussion.
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