Plant trees on birthdays, weddings, says minister

By Francis Emorut                                        

The water minister Prof. Ephraim Kamuntu wants a law that compels Ugandans to plant trees on occasions of wedding, baptism, and graduation days.

“Every family should plant trees when celebrating birthday, wedding and baptism party,” he said.

The professor argued that there is need to preserve the environment.

“Planting trees is restoring forestry cover. Due to climatic change conservation can be achieved by having a national programme that makes it mandatory for everybody to plant trees during the festive seasons of each family,” Kamuntu told New Vision on the sidelines of planting trees exercise.

The exercise took place at Namasuba hill in Kampala.

The minister reasoned that charcoal burners and firewood users have depleted forests in the country and therefore, need to restore forestry cover.

He appealed to Ugandans to plant trees around the boundaries of their land, hospitals, health centres, road reserves and administration blocks.

He asked the citizens to develop an attitude of personal greening of the national economy by planting a tree.

“For every occasion such as marriage anniversary, baptism and graduation every family should plant trees,” he said.

He called upon religious leaders to spearhead the crusade of planting trees as they preside over marriage, baptism and graduation functions.