NOTU young workers to plant 15, 000 trees annually

Young workers under the National Organisation of Trade Unions (NOTU) have pledged to plant 15, 000 trees across the country to conserve the environment.

The resolution was made on Thursday during the closure of a five-day NOTU young workers’ camp at Katete beach in Mbarara City.

“Environmental degradation is threatening the future of our country. Our generation is to pay heavily if we don’t wake up and conserve the environment,” said Ms Barbara Badaru, the secretary NOTU young workers.

She said NOTU has a membership of 250 young workers from 34 trade unions who resolved that each young worker plants five trees every month which will translate into 15000 trees every year.

“We know some of us that don’t have land but we are going to appeal to institutions like churches, schools, local governments, even in barracks of security agencies and request for lands where to plant these trees. But if you are a tenant, you can request your landlord to plant at least a fruit tree,” added Ms Badaru.

Ms Badaru added that the NOTU young workers secretariat will supervise the project across the country to ensure its success.

The outgoing NOTU secretary general Mr Peter Werikhe pledged support to the young workers to see this resolution is implemented.

“This is a remarkable resolution by our young workers, climate change effect is a time bomb to this country, if you see the flooding in the eastern region and Kasese, the losing of road and other infrastructure across the country because of flooding, prolonged droughts then know we are heading for a very serious problem,” said Mr Werikhe.

He said they will work with government institutions like National Forest Authority (NFA) to ensure the youth get enough trees to plant and other technical guidance.

Another resolution made by the young workers was fighting gender-based violence especially at workplaces.

“We want to make sure that whatever happens to our young workers especially at workplaces is done on merit without discrimination because of sex,” said Ms Jane Katusabe, the NOTU young workers organising and education secretary