Clan chiefs
in Agago have confiscated more than 1,000 sacks of charcoal in an operation to
rid the area of illegal commercial charcoal traders. The sacks of
charcoal were impounded on Wednesday from Bulayita Village, Labwa parish in
Adilang sub-county.
The clan chiefs revived their operation against charcoal traders in
Agago after the Prime Minister of the Acholi cultural institution in April
wrote a letter supplementing the ban on charcoal trade, as well as supporting
campaigns being spearheaded by political leaders to curb the trade.
Rwot Kassimiro Ongom, the Chief of Patongo Clan, said the sacks of charcoal are
still in the bushes, while others have been set ablaze.
Ongom revealed that they also found bundles of marijuana that he suspected are
being used by the charcoal makers, several tents, and an unspecified number of
charcoal makers in the bushes.
He appealed
to the government and other development partners to join hands in not only
fighting environmental crime but an impending problem that could be brought
about by use of the illegal substances.
//Cue in:
“Nino matin wan…
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wan wawot karacel.”//
Rwot Thomas Ocen Lakidi the clan chief of Paimol condemned the massive cutting
of indigenous tree species for charcoal and urged the leaders to sensitize the
community on preserving these trees and planting the fast-maturing ones for
charcoal and timber.
//Cue in: “Watye
ki peko…
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…matye kadiyo wan.”//
Nelson Ojok, the chairperson LCII Chairperson of Labwa Parish, Adilang
sub-county said the illegal charcoal trade is being fueled by people who own
huge chunks of land and are unable to use them optimally.
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“Bal me acel…
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…iyeni omyero ogiki.”//
Ojok
commended the clan chiefs for their attempts to curb massive tree-cutting,
adding that they will join hands and start moving into the forests to
confiscate all the charcoal and do all they can to ensure that the destructive
trade stops.
//Cue in: “Lok ma obedo…
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…watye kawot marom.”//
Richard
Musana, a charcoal dealer, accused the local leaders and local communities of
collecting money from the charcoal traders, without giving them instructions on
which trees should or should not be cut.
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“The problem here…
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…they cannot move.”//
Musana
appealed to the government to sensitize the leaders and community on
environmental matters so that the problem is solved in a shorter time.
//Cue in: “Government should come…
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…money from people.”//
The clan
chiefs started their operation last weekend, from Adilang sub-county, where
they identified approximately 500 illegal charcoal dealers, more than 100
tents, and at least 50 tons of abandoned wood piled to be turned into charcoal.
Adilang and
Parabongo sub-counties have been identified as the hotspots of the illegal
charcoal trade, where at least 100 trees are cut daily to feed businesses.
