The Commander of the Uganda Peoples’ Defence Forces (UPDF) 4 Infantry Division, Major General Felix Busizoori, has directed security agencies, ministries, departments, and government agencies in Northern Uganda and West Nile to fully enforce the 2023 Executive Order banning tree-cutting and charcoal burning.
Maj Gen Busizoori issued the directive during a meeting at the 4 Infantry Division headquarters in Gulu, where he reminded stakeholders that the Executive Order remains in force and must be implemented to the letter.
He said five forest reserves in the region, including the highly treasured Zoka Forest, had been degraded by charcoal burning and illegal timber activities.
Maj Gen Busizoori said the fight against charcoal burning should not be viewed solely as enforcement of the Executive Order, but as a national and regional environmental concern requiring concerted efforts from all stakeholders.
He directed that no charcoal dealer should be allowed to operate in Northern Uganda and West Nile with immediate effect.
The Chairman of the Charcoal Dealers Association in Uganda, Mr Eria Ssenyonjo, however, told the meeting that charcoal entering Northern Uganda and West Nile was imported from South Sudan, arguing that the dealers were engaged in legitimate trade.
In response, Maj Gen Busizoori said the South Sudan government outlawed charcoal burning and its export in 2019, making the importation of the product into Uganda illegal.
He further directed that any charcoal impounded by security agencies should be handed over to nearby communities for use.
The meeting brought together charcoal dealers, officials from the UPDF, the Ministry of Water and Environment, the Uganda Revenue Authority, the Uganda Police Force, the Internal Security Organisation, and other stakeholders.
The directive comes amid growing concerns over deforestation and environmental degradation in Northern Uganda and West Nile, where illegal logging and charcoal burning have contributed to the destruction of forest reserves.
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