Govt, NFA disagree on Mabira Forest
Aug 16, 2011
THE Government and the National Forestry Authority (NFA) have disagreed on the state of the Mabira forest land that is supposed to be given to a sugar firm.
By David Mugabe
THE Government and the National Forestry Authority (NFA) have disagreed on the state of the Mabira forest land that is supposed to be given to a sugar firm.
The disagreement took place after a tour of the forest land.
Information minister Mary Karooro Okurut and state minister for environment Flavia Munaaba toured the forest with journalists and NFA officials.
The two ministers were, however, reluctant to explain what position they would front to the Government following their tour of the land.
This was after NFA officials said little of the land was degraded.
The forestry officials had earlier shown the media parts of the land that is about 30-minute drive from the Jinja-Kampala highway.
But most of it is covered with forests and the partially degraded piece is regenerating itself.
An NFA official, who did not want to be named, said there was no degraded part of the forest. Instead, the forest is regenerating, which is a cycle that occurs naturally.
Part of the degraded area in Naluvule, Wakisi sub-county in Buikwe district is already regenerating itself.
While some of the forest was destroyed, new forest cover was emerging.
Senior government officials, who preferred anonymity, described NFA’s explanations as “officials only protecting their tuff.â€
The land, that begins about 20 metres from the Jinja-Kampala highway, neighbours enclaves of private tea plantations and homesteads.
After the forest tour, Munaaba reiterated that under the National Forestry Tree Planting Act, it is within the Government’s mandate to gazette forests.
She said the law also guides on the process of degazetting.
Munaaba said during the degazetting process, certain precautions needed to be taken and this would be done by the technical people.
“Man must exploit the environment for economic gain but in such a way that the environment is managed,†she said.
THE Government and the National Forestry Authority (NFA) have disagreed on the state of the Mabira forest land that is supposed to be given to a sugar firm.
The disagreement took place after a tour of the forest land.
Information minister Mary Karooro Okurut and state minister for environment Flavia Munaaba toured the forest with journalists and NFA officials.
The two ministers were, however, reluctant to explain what position they would front to the Government following their tour of the land.
This was after NFA officials said little of the land was degraded.
The forestry officials had earlier shown the media parts of the land that is about 30-minute drive from the Jinja-Kampala highway.
But most of it is covered with forests and the partially degraded piece is regenerating itself.
An NFA official, who did not want to be named, said there was no degraded part of the forest. Instead, the forest is regenerating, which is a cycle that occurs naturally.
Part of the degraded area in Naluvule, Wakisi sub-county in Buikwe district is already regenerating itself.
While some of the forest was destroyed, new forest cover was emerging.
Senior government officials, who preferred anonymity, described NFA’s explanations as “officials only protecting their tuff.â€
The land, that begins about 20 metres from the Jinja-Kampala highway, neighbours enclaves of private tea plantations and homesteads.
After the forest tour, Munaaba reiterated that under the National Forestry Tree Planting Act, it is within the Government’s mandate to gazette forests.
She said the law also guides on the process of degazetting.
Munaaba said during the degazetting process, certain precautions needed to be taken and this would be done by the technical people.
“Man must exploit the environment for economic gain but in such a way that the environment is managed,†she said.