NTUNGAMO- The Ntungamo Resident District Commissioner- RDC Mucunguzi Geoffrey aka Cadre Mucunguzi has promised to arrest all wetland encroachers regardless of one’s status.
Cadre Mucunguzi noted that the office if the RDC is more than ready asking the of the district Natural resource list all wetlands and swamps that have been encroached in the district.
He made remarks on Thursday during the district stakeholders engagement meeting on the Green Climate Fund project held at Ntungamo Resort Hotel Ntungamo Municipality.
Cadre Mucunguzi revealed that the general public has a tendency of saying that there are some people who degraded wetlands yet nothing the authorities have done but assured them that they risk being arrested.
He thanked the district Natural resource officer Tumwebaze Dinah for advocating for the environment protection in the district.
The Vice chairman Ntungamo District Asuman Kigongo appealed to the stakeholders to advocate for smart towns and environment by avoiding loitering empty bottles and polyethene bags.
Kigongo who is also the secretary for production and natural Resources noted that restoring wetland is not enough without arresting the errant rich people who are getting land titles in wetlands.
The CAO Ntungamo District Ndifuna Mathius recommended the use of security organs as wetland encroachers are being evicted.
The Ntungamo district Natural resource officer Tumwebaze Dinah highlighted what has been done under the Green Climate Fund of building resilient communities, wetland ecosystems and associated catchments in 24 districts in south western and Eastern Uganda.
Tumwebaze said that eight years project started in 2017- 2025 is being implement in Kakukuru-Rwenanuura town council and in parishes of Kyabwato and Lwengo in Rukoni West sub county to restore the degraded wetlands and provide support to target communities to reduce the risk of climate change posed on agriculture based livelihood.
The Government of Uganda and United Nations Development Program (UNDP) signed a financing agreement for the Green Climate Fund (GCF) project to restore degraded wetlands, improve ecosystems, and strengthen climate information and early warning systems.
The US$44 million project is being implemented by the Ministries of Water and Environment, Agriculture, Animal Industry and Fisheries together with the Uganda National Meteorology Authority.
