By Andrew Irumba
Although many environmentalists have condemned the rice growing and sand mining in Lwera Wetland, which is being done for both Ugandan and Chinese investors, the National Environment Management Authority (NEMA), has defended the activities, despite the uproar from area leaders, civil society organizations and the general public.
A number of people have in recent years questioned the viability of ongoing activities in the wetland which to many is the last line for the protection to Lake Victoria. The wetland crosses through the districts of Mpigi, Gomba and Kalungu.
But NEMA Executive Director Dr Tom Okurut said that although the public may have an ignorance-based bias on the utilisation of wetlands to satisfy man’s needs, it doesn’t make the activities illegal as many presume.
Dr Okurut observed that NEMA has carried out several studies on how these activities can commendably be carried out without tampering with the biodiversity of the area. The studies form the basis of the approvals for any such activity.
In the case of rice growing, Dr Okurut said that they carried out several studies on the topography, tested the soils and carefully made an Environmental Impact Assessment which all proved that the activity could be carried out in the area.
His remarks came at the backdrop of an ongoing campaign championed by civil society activists under Citizens Concern Africa to stop activities in Lwera. They have petitioned the president to intervene and stop rice growing carried out on a leased 700-acre piece of land in the Lwera stretch by a Chinese Company, Zhong industries Ltd.
Okurut however trashed their petition, saying that Lwera is not the first wetland where government has permitted commercial rice-growing citing Doho and Kibimba. He added that the project has created job opportunities for the area population.
In the same development, he confirmed that NEMA has since issued five permits to different companies to carry out responsible sand mining as the country desperately need the resource.
However, on the contrary, The National Association of Professional Environmentalists-NAPE Executive Director Frank Muramuzi said the activities are likely to cause more harm than good.
Muramuzi argued that given the fact that Lwera drains directly into Lake Victoria and the use of agro-chemicals like fertilizers, the activities are putting millions of lives at risk. He further questioned why current leaders are selfishly exploiting almost every resource without considering the needs of the future.
