Adjumani police impound 19 trucks carrying charcoal

Police in Adjumani District have intercepted 19 trucks loaded with illegal charcoal in Apaa, Itirikwa Sub-county.
After the interception, the drivers were ordered to  take the vehicles to Adjumani Central Police Station, however,  some of them refused to obey the directive. 
The police plucked off number plates of the trucks whose drivers refused to heed the order.
The drivers who heeded the order have since been charged with trading in illegal products, the Daily Monitor has established .
Mr Benon Byamukuma, the Adjumani District police commander, said the trucks were intercepted at night during the weekend while attempting to exit Adjumani to Amuru District. 
Mr Ignatius Dragudu, the police spokesman for the North West Nile region, said they will impound the trucks in Apaa until the drivers voluntarily move to Adjumani CPS. 
“They (drivers) have all been summoned because there is a (presidential) order that prohibits commercial charcoal trade,” he said.
Between Friday and Sunday, authorities in the district held a joint crackdown against illegal charcoal dealers in Apaa.  The operation followed a decision to curb illegal charcoal production and transportation during a district security committee meeting chaired by the Resident District Commissioner.
The exercided was carried out by officials from National Forestry Authority (NFA), the district forest office, police, and the Uganda People’s Defence Forces.  
NFA indicates that a total of 19 trucks impounded were carrying charcoal estimated at 12,000 bags and valued at more than Shs650 million. 
Mr Simon Peter Kidega, the NFA sector manager for Zoka Central Forest Reserve, said his office has created a taskforce to execute the presidential order.
“Poor community attitudes towards the preservation and protection of the environment, lack of transport, as well as regular land disputes between Adjumani and Amuru districts have hampered NFA’s efforts to curb the rampant environmental destruction,’’ he said.
“The challenge is that the truck drivers have become non-compliant, because earlier on, they were licensed by the district, but the Executive order is above all those licences,” Mr Kidega said.  
Mr Jesus Iranya, the Itirikwa Sub-county chairman, said the trade is done by powerful individuals in government.  He declined to name any of them. 
Presidential order
Last month, President Museveni issued an Executive order banning commercial charcoal trade.The regions where the ban applies are Karamoja, Teso, Lango, Acholi, and West Nile where security forces, especially some commanders of UPDF, are accused of aiding destroyers of the environment by guarding charcoal burners, traders and transporters. 
“To save the environment and also the reputation of the NRM, I, therefore, hereby ban the cutting of trees for charcoal burning,” President Museveni said.