Madinah Tebajjukira
9 July 2009
Kampala — THE National Forestry Authority (NFA) has assured MPs that Mabira Forest is intact and nobody would tamper with it.
NFA executive director Damian Akankwasa yesterday told the committee on commissions, statutory and state enterprises that the authority would not accept to lose the forest because of its importance.
"Actually, we are planning on how to increase forest coverage in the country," Akankwasa said. His remarks followed a question from the committee chairman, Reagan Okumu, about the authority's stand on the controversial give-away of the forest.
Akankwasa was appearing before the committee to answer queries raised in the Auditor General's reports for the financial years 2006/2007. He said the forest should be reserved and protected because it feeds many rivers and controls climatic change.
"The economic value of Mabira Forest is higher than any of us can think," Akankwasa said. In April 2007, environmentalists demonstrated over the proposed give-away of part of the forest to the Mehta Group of Companies for sugarcane growing. The demonstration turned violent and three people, including an Indian national, were killed.
Following the incident, the proposal was suspended.
Elijah Okupa (FDC) asked NFA to provide free tree seedlings to schools to increase forest coverage.
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