Nema blames failure to restore wetlands on poor enforcement, funding
Mr Sam Cheptoris, the Minister for Water and Environnemnt adressing the gathering at Gayaza play ground Masaa city durirng wetlands international Day celebrations on February 2 , 2022. Photo/Wilson Kutamba
What you need to know:
- According to the 2015 and 2019 wetland status report at the Ministry of Water and Environment, Uganda’s wetland coverage drastically declined from 13 percent in 1994 to 8.9 percent in 2019.
- Uganda has lost her wetland cover by 44 percent beyond the global depletion levels of wetlands which stands at 35 percent.
The National Environment Management Authority (Nema) has blamed its failure to restore wetlands across the country to lack of enough enforcement and funding.
Mr Arnold Waiswa Ayazika, the director for Environment Management and Compliance at Nema noted that failure by the government to fully operationalize the National Environment Management Act of 2019, which establishes a specialized enforcement taskforce, is a serious impediment to their operations and this has facilitated the continuous destruction of wetlands.
“The failure by the government to establish an autonomous environment protection force to enforce environmental laws and arrest the abusers has been among the predicaments limiting our efforts as Nema to contain wanton destruction of wetlands,”
Mr Ayazika made the remarks during World Wetlands Day celebrations held in Masaka City on Wednesday. He was reacting to criticism from Dr Abed Bwanika, the Member of Parliament for Kimaanya-Kabonera Constituency in Masaka City, who accused Nema of failing to rise to the occasion and curb the wanton destruction of wetlands across the country.
“Nema is asking ordinary people to protect wetlands and the environment, but the same body is superintending the sand mining and rice-growing in Lwera wetland. As we mark this day, let Nema tell Ugandans whether those two acts are part of wetland protection,” Dr Bwanika said
However, Mr Ayazika pleaded that as a principal environment protection agency, Nema also remained incapacitated in the absence of a specialized enforcement force that would help them operate and stop encroachment on wetlands. He also challenged the government to avail enough funds to the environmental watchdog to facilitate enforcement and apprehend all those destroying wetlands.
According to the 2015 and 2019 wetland status report at the Ministry of Water and Environment, Uganda’s wetland coverage drastically declined from 13 percent in 1994 to 8.9 percent in 2019.
The report which was generated through a national mapping exercise established that the Eastern region ranks highest in wetland destruction standing at 46 percent, followed by the Western region with 29 percent, the central region with 28 percent, and the Northern region ranking last with 21 percent.
The leading districts in destroying wetlands are Manafwa which has destroyed 99 percent of her wetlands followed by Mbale which stands at 73 percent.
Uganda has lost her wetland cover by 44 percent beyond the global depletion levels of wetlands which stands at 35 percent.
According to Mr Collins Oloya, commissioner directorate of Environment affairs in the Ministry of Water and Environment the rate at which wetlands are being destroyed is worrying and appealed to leaders at all levels to intervention.
“The above report indicating that our behaviors (human activities) as a people have destroyed wetlands beyond global levels is something to rethink about and radically confront abusers with action and reaction,” he said
He noted that wetlands are habitants of many wild species including Uganda’s symbol of Crested Crane and the continued attack on wetlands will definitely result in the disappearance of our National identity.
Ms Sheila Ngatia, the Uganda Deputy Resident Representative of the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) asked the government to commit deliberate investments towards wetland preservation as well ensuring restoration of those that have already been degraded.
The Minister in charge of Water and Environment, Mr Sam Cheptoris, said despite the underlying logistical challenges, the government remains committed to safeguarding wetlands and called upon local governments and police to crackdown all encroachers in their respective jurisdictions.
“As government we remain committed towards safeguarding environment and we ask all concerned authorities to get out of their comfortable offices and clamp down encroachers and related environment abusers,” he said
Uganda’s 11 percent of total land area is occupied by wetlands.
