Joseph Odong, a Senior Water Officer at the Ministry of Water and Environment told Uganda Radio Network in an interview that the walk is instrumental in drumming up support towards saving river Nile.
Olanya, who holds a Diploma in Mechanization in Agriculture from Busitema University, has established a maggot production farm in the backyard of his half-acre piece of land.
In an interview with Uganda Radio Network, Dr. Achilles Brunnel Byaruhanga, a Herpetologist and Principal Investigator with Nature Uganda, expressed his concern about the lack of data in the North. He explains that the absence of proper studies and conservation efforts puts these amphibian and reptilian species at risk of extinction.
Nyipir told the court on Thursday that the level of environmental destruction fueled by the growing commercial charcoal trade in the region is at an alarming level and needed a tougher sentence if the vice is to stop.
In his ruling on Wednesday evening, Barigye ordered NFA to dispose of the impounded charcoal through auctioning and deposit the proceeds in the consolidated fund.
‘’We can fight the charcoal burners, we can stop the lorries but we must also plant trees, the two go hand in hand. We are going to draft tough by-laws for every affected sub-county under the presidential executive order, I have talked with the attorney general.’’ -Norbert Mao.
They were charged with two counts of illegal transportation of forest produce contrary to sections 32 (1), (a), and sections 34 (1) & (2) of the National Forestry and Tree Planting Act 2003. The other charge is the illegal transportation and trade in Forest products (charcoal) contrary to Executive Order No 3 issued by President Yoweri Museveni on May 19 this year.
Solomon Nokrach, the Regional Coordinator of FOWODE in Acholi, highlighted environmental degradation as the most pressing issue in the sub-region. This includes concerns related to charcoal burning and illegal logging.
Otto surrendered himself to the Aswa River Region Police Headquarters in Gulu City on Monday morning, and after hours of recording statements, he was released on police bond.
Aswa River Region Police Spokesperson David Ongom Mudong told the press Monday that it wasn’t yet clear whether Otto will record a statement or only have a meeting with the Regional Police Commander Damali Nachuha.
Odonga Otto and a group of environmental vigilantes are accused of beating and severely injuring three charcoal businessmen in Atanga sub-county, in Pader district on Sunday afternoon. They were reportedly armed with sticks and machetes.
The Ministry of Water and Environment issued a directive in February this year banning the issuance of documents facilitating the commercial production and transportation of charcoal and forest products in the region, following the escalating charcoal business that has resulted in the destruction of a large swathe of the natural environment.
Ambrose Olaa, the institution's Prime Minister however said the civic response in protecting the environment must be sustained as no other mechanism seems to be working for the region.
Uganda Wildlife Officials acknowledge that Lake Albert Safaris Ltd, a private tourism investor, had indeed won a concession in East Madi Wildlife Reserve.
Brigadier General Bonny Bamwiseki, says that the massive destruction of trees for commercial purposes is a threat to the climate and environment adding that the future generation also risks losing their sense of identity by selling off huge chunks of land.
Videos of the former legislator went viral last month in which he appeared deflating a truck loaded with charcoal on March 8 and in another, he is seen inciting locals to loot charcoal from a truck on March 28.
Ventorina Acaa, 70, says that the contested land does not belong to NFA but was rather offered to BAT for tobacco growing, adding that the trees in the area were used for drying tobacco.
Eric Lajul, a lawyer working with Nimungu Associated advocates in Gulu City is accused of illegally reclaiming a wetland and setting up grass-thatched cottages for a recreational business along Gulu-Kampala Highway.
