Maj. Peter Mugisa, the Fourth Infantry Division Public Information Officer told URN on Friday that so far three trucks loaded with charcoal and bearing URA seals have been impounded by the army. He however didn't reveal the URA seal numbers.
Suspicion is brewing about
possible connivance by some Uganda Revenue Authority (URA) personnel regarding
the issuance of seals to aid the easy movement of charcoal by commercial
dealers out of Northern Uganda.
Uganda People's Defence Forces (UPDF) personnel in July this year intensified the
implementation of Executive Order No. 3 issued by President Museveni in May
2023, which banned the felling of trees for commercial charcoal production in
North and Northeastern Uganda.
The recent operations saw the
UPDF personnel taking over the command of key checkpoints
in Nwoya and Amuru districts where illicit transportation of charcoal was still
thriving.
But the army says the charcoal
dealers have since devised new ways of evading thorough search on vehicles,
among them the acquisition of cargo seals from URA.
Maj. Peter Mugisa, the Fourth
Infantry Division Public Information Officer told URN on Friday that so far three
trucks loaded with charcoal and allegedly bearing URA seals have been impounded by the
army. He however didn't reveal the URA seal numbers.
Maj Mugisa alleged that the trucks were impounded
between early and mid-this year. The latest, a box body truck with registration
UAW 938H with URA Seal and loaded with 200 bags of charcoal was
impounded on October 10 at Akurukwe checkpoint from Amuru district heading to
Kampala.
Mugisa says it's unclear why URA
issued the seals for the dealers amidst the current ban on commercial charcoal
trade from the region.
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goods.”//
According to Maj Mugisa, such
actions impede the success of fighting illegal commercial charcoal production
and transportation which is already threatening the environment. He also notes
that connivance from some leaders especially from the Adjumani district and army
personnel have been registered recently in aiding illegal transportation of
charcoal.
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But Abbey Mawerere, the URA
Regional Manager at the Customs Department refuted the reports arguing that no
vehicle was recently intercepted loaded with charcoal and bearing either the
electronic cargo or metallic URA seals. He said the only vehicle intercepted
with a URA seal was in July which was suspected of carrying charcoal but upon
inspection, it was found ferrying scrap metals from Juba in South Sudan.
Mawerere however acknowledged
that one vehicle bearing the URA seal was intercepted by Gulu district
authorities carrying charcoal from Lamwo district and is currently parked at the Gulu District yard.
He says the investigation is ongoing in the matter arguing
that although there were legal documents accompanying the goods, there is a conflicting
report on the source of the charcoal whether it was from Lamwo district or
South Sudan.
The army also recently revealed
that amidst the heightened ban on commercial production of charcoal, the
dealers have turned to using box body trucks, passenger taxis and three-wheeler
taxis (Tuk Tuk) to conceal the charcoal.
Reports provided by the army indicate
that between October 10 and 21 alone, a total of 6,230 bags of charcoal were
impounded either in transit using box body trucks, and taxis (commonly known as
drones) or from camps where they were being produced. They were intercepted
from Packwach bridge in Pakwach district, Lakang Sub-county in Amuru district,
Lungulu sub-county in Nwoya District and Ukisijoni sub-county in Adjumani district.
According to Maj. Mugisa, a total
of 280 trucks have so far been impounded during the operations that began in
July this year. Over 50,000 bags of charcoal have also been burnt during the
same operation, the majority from Zoka Central Forest Reserve in Adjumani
district.
The recent operations by the army
have been lauded by conservationists in the Acholi sub-region who have raised
concerns that the uncontrolled charcoal trade in the region could lead to
adverse weather impacts.
Zoka Forest, one of the natural
forests in the region has witnessed a drastic decline in tree population owing
to increased tree felling for commercial charcoal and timber production. Covering
a total of 6,146 sq hectares of land bordering the East Madi Wildlife reserves,
conservationists however say nearly 3,000 hectares of the forest have so far
been destroyed.
The affected areas are mainly on
the southern gate through Apaa township where more than 40,000 illegal settlers
have invaded.
