Parliament wants national forestry body audited over vanishing forest cover

They accuse NFA of championing activities which have led to deforestation, contrary to their mandate of promoting tree planting.

This was during a debate of the report of the Committee on Climate Change on a motion for a resolution of Parliament urging government to address climate change.

The report was presented by the vice chairperson of the Committee on Climate Change, Hon. Jacinta Atuto, during the plenary sitting on Tuesday, September 13 chaired by Deputy Speaker Thomas Tayebwa.

The report recommended re-opening of forest boundaries and titles issued in gazetted forest land canceled.

Hon. Muhammad Muwanga Kivumbi, (NUP, Butambala County), however, said that while people want to engage in tree planting, NFA on the other hand gives permits to people to cut down trees under the pretext of investments.

“We should first concentrate on protecting the existing forests. NFA should be audited for value for money on forests that have been cut down,” Muwanga Kivumbi said.

Buikwe South County MP, Hon. Michael Bayigga, requested for permission to move a motion on the dwindling forest cover, saying that there is a deliberate move to cut down forests.

“Very many forests are being cut down under the pretext of planting new trees. An example is Kifu Forest in Mukono which has all been cut down,” he said.

Hon. William Museveni (INDP., Buwekula South County) called for enactment of a law which mandates every Ugandan to plant trees.

“It should be compulsory for every Ugandan to plant at least ten trees annually. We are losing the forest cover because of human activities,” he said.

Hon. Irene Muloni (NRM, Bulambuli District) called for urgent restoration of the forest cover in the Elgon region, saying that the recurring floods and landslides are as result of the dwindling forest cover.

“Nature is fighting back. We need as a matter of urgency to relocate people and let trees occupy their natural space,” Muloni said.

Pakwach district Woman MP, Hon. Jane Avur, however, cautioned against the eviction of people from forest reserves which are not gazetted and marked, saying that some of the people have lived in such areas for over 40 years and that evicting them would cause conflicts.

“There are unknown forests reserves where people have lived for a long time. Government must follow processes of relocating such people as it is in the law,” said Avur.

The committee report further recommended stringent sanctions on people who acquire land in wetlands and ensure that degraded wetlands are reclaimed.

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