Abraham Odur, the NFA Forest Supervisor for Aswa River Range comprising Acholi and Lango Sub Regions said that the illegal dealers are specifically destroying Shea trees unlike in other parts of the region.
Odur disclosed that an estimated population of shea trees covering over 30 square miles in Lamwo district have been destroyed by the illegal charcoal and log dealers.
The police have arrested nine illegal charcoal dealers for
destroying Shea trees covering over 30 square miles in Palabek Gem Sub County
Lamwo district.
The suspects were arrested on Sunday evening from Beyo Goya Village
in Anaka Parish during an operation against illegal charcoal dealers in the
district.
The operation was sanctioned by the Ministry of Water and
Environment, Environmental Police and the National Forestry Authority (NFA)
commanded by Xavier Sekanabo, an officer from the environmental police.
Among those arrested is Bosco Ocaya who is said to be the main plotter behind the extensive destruction of the endangered tree species. He is being
held at Gulu Central Police Station.
Sekanabo said that the other eight are being detained at
Palabek Gem Police Post. He added that a charge of illegal destruction of forest
species as per section 32 of the National Forestry Act.
//Cue in: ‘’we have come…
Cue out: …others in Teso.’’//
Abraham Odur, the NFA Forest Supervisor for Aswa River Range
comprising Acholi and Lango Sub Regions told URN on Monday that the illegal dealers are
specifically destroying Shea trees unlike in other parts of region.
Odur disclosed that an estimated population of shea trees
covering over 30 square miles in Lamwo district have been destroyed by the
illegal charcoal and log dealers.
On Sunday, the team also destroyed thousands of shea tree
logs from the different areas in Palabek Sub County while they had been piled
by the illegal dealers to be burnt for charcoal.
Earlier, eleven people were also on Saturday arrested from
Paibona Sub County in Gulu district on allegations of destroying the endangered
tree species including mahogany, shea tree and Africana Afzelia.
Jimmy Ouna, the NFA Range Manager for Aswa said that the
illegal dealers use power saws to indiscriminately cut trees from the trunks,
something he explains that makes it difficult for the tree to regenerate because
of the oil and chain the destroys the tree stump.
He decried that the extensive forest destruction is
exposing the environment to serious degradation.
//Cue
in: ‘’they are cutting
Cue
out: … will not regenerate.’’//
While speaking from Kitgum district this month during
the requiem mass of Major Santos Okot Lapolo the former Resident District
Commissioner for Gulu, Gen. Paul Lokech the Deputy Inspector General of Police
faulted some security officials and politicians in the country for fueling
forest destruction in Acholi.
Emmy Daniel Ojara is a young journalist and has been practicing since 2013, during which he covered land rights violation in the contested Apaa and Lakang in Amuru as his first take ups while at Gulu Fm, Favor Fm and later Paidha Fm and Speak Fm where he is still attached.
Human rights abuses and denied access to land by security and government agencies has been the major aftermath of the contest over the lands. The underprivileged such as women, children and the elderly faced challenges in accessing soc
