Cancel Environment Social Impact Assessment certificate to hoima sugar ltd due to violation of certificate conditions

 BY SAMUEL NABWIISO

 Environmentalist are urging Government to cancel the ESIA Certificate it gave to Hoima sugar Limited  they urges that  Hoima Sugar Ltd has failed to live up to key conditions in the Environmental and Social Impact Assessment (ESIA) certificate of approval that the National Environment Management Authority (NEMA) issued to the company, the Save Bugoma Forest Campaign (SBFC) can reveal.

 GPS images in the hands of the SBFC show that as at January 7, 2021, Hoima Sugar Ltd had cultivated 405 hectares of Bugoma forest land. This is being done with impunity and in disregard of the ongoing court cases in both the High Court and Court of Appeal.

Part of the Bugoma Forest that has been cleared by the sugar company
 

.The above court cases are contesting the validity of the ESIA certificate that was issued to Hoima Sugar Ltd by NEMA and the land titles issued by Ministry of Lands to Hoima Sugar Ltd and Bunyoro Kitara Kingdom.

 Sadly, part of the 405 hectares of Bugoma forest land that has been destroyed by Hoima Sugar Ltd is that that was approved for ecotourism purposes, and not sugarcane growing.

 “Condition 4.7 of Hoima Sugar Ltd’s ESIA certificate of approval says that the company has to ‘Ensure that the [sugarcane] plantation … is restricted to the areas indicated in the ESIS [Environmental and Social Impact Statement] …’

 By cultivating land meant for ecotourism purposes, Hoima Sugar has flouted condition 4.7, which is a key certificate condition.

 Moreover, Condition 4.5 of the certificate says that before developing an ecotourism centre, cultural site, workers’ camps and others, Hoima Sugar is required to conduct separate ESIA studies for each of those projects.

In as far as we are aware, no ESIA study has been submitted to NEMA and no certificate of approval has been issued for the ecotourism project. Why then has land that was earmarked for ecotourism purposes been cleared?” Mr. Dickens Kamugisha, the Chairperson of the SBFC said in media Statement  the group issued recently.

 He adds, “The truth, which we are calling Ugandans to remain alive to, is that a sugarcane company with no track record in ecotourism and one that dared to touch a key national resource is unlikely to keep it safe. This is why Hoima Sugar’s illegal activities in Bugoma forest must be stopped immediately.”

 

HISTORY OF VIOLATION OF LAWS

 

This isn’t the first time that due processes are being flouted in Hoima Sugar’s Kyangwali Mixed Land Use project, the project for which the company received an ESIA certificate of approval from NEMA on August 14, 2020.

 

Prior to issuance of the certificate, both Hoima Sugar and NEMA violated key environmental laws that would have safeguarded Bugoma forest from destruction.

 “Among the laws are the 1998 Environmental Impact Assessment [EIA] Regulations. For instance, under regulation 10, Hoima Sugar was required to comply with the NEMA-approved Terms of Reference for its ESIA study. The company failed to do this.

Under regulation 12, developers are required to seek the views of the people who are likely to be affected by a project during the study. This requirement also wasn’t complied with by Hoima Sugar,” Mr. Bashir Twesigye, a lawyer who is also a member of the SBFC, says.

 He adds, “On its part, NEMA is, under regulations 19 and 20, required to invite for written comments on an ESIA study from the general public and affected communities respectively. The invitation is supposed to be made through newspapers with national or local circulation among others.

 Under regulation 21, NEMA is mandated to organise public hearings for controversial projects and those with transboundary impacts.

 NEMA neither invited for comments from the general public and affected communities through the media and neither did the authority organise public hearings on the controversial project of growing sugarcane in Bugoma forest.”

 

COURT CASES

 

The above among other violations caused the SBFC to sue NEMA through court cases seeking for cancellation of the ESIA certificate of approval issued to Hoima Sugar.

 A court case for cancellation of the freehold and leasehold land titles that were issued by Ministry of Lands to Bunyoro Kitara Kingdom and Hoima Sugar respectively in 2016 is also before the Court of Appeal to protect the forest.

 “Hoima Sugar’s impunity of destroying even the land that was meant for ecotourism could preempt these cases that are aimed at stopping destruction of the forest.

 The SBFC is therefore unequivocally calling on the company to stop destroying the forest.

 NEMA should also review Hoima Sugar’s activities with the view of cancelling the certificate that the authority issued to the company due to none-compliance to the certificate’s conditions.

 Under condition 8, NEMA clearly stated that it would cancel/suspend/withdraw the company’s certificate if conditions under section 4 aren’t complied with. We expect NEMA to comply with its own certificate conditions,” Ms. Ruth Kiwanuka of the SBFC says.

 The SBFC is also calling on courts to expeditiously hear the cases for cancellation of the ESIA certificate of approval to Hoima Sugar and those for cancellation of the land titles to Bunyoro Kingdom and Hoima Sugar Ltd.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

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Gulu Visual Artists Uses Arts to Combat Environmental degradation

 BY PATRICK UMA. 

 Two visual artists in Gulu are using non degradable waste material to produce mix media painting; and in turn help to combat environmental pollution According to Peter Sai, a Gulu-based visual Artist, he uses non-degradable waste materials like plastics, metals scrap's used polythene bags to come up with a composition of various arts.

 ‘’Through using this non-degradable waste material, we are saving the environment from being degraded thus making it a better place to live in.’’Sai Told the Environment News Uganda in Gulu City during an Exclusive Interview.

 Sai added that he had to drop out of his business administration course at Gulu University 5 years ago and pursue his passion for painting and visual arts because it his in-build passion.

 

 ‘’everyday people see me collecting plastics bottles and Buvera,s in the City and also on the streets and some might think I am crazy, but I am only saving the environment.’’ He added.

Peter Sai, a Gulu based visual artist holds his paintings at the recent art display in Gulu City.[ PHOTO BY PATRICK UMA.

 Sai was among the couple of visual artists who displayed their art works for the public from the Innovation village center in Gulu City. Thomas Vava, another Gulu based visual artist said that he developed the idea of using plastic and used Buvera,s for his art work during the lock down.

 ‘’As Arts we experienced shortage of materials used in painting such as paint due to lockdown which was declared by government as a way of mitigating the spread of the deadly Covid-19 disease that is why we resorted to come up with the innovation of using non-degradable materials around us such as the used Buveras and metal scrap's that were in plenty to do our Art work"Vaca explained 

Visual Artist Thomas Vava in front of his Art gallery in Gulu City.[PHOTO BY PATRICK UMA]

Thomas owns Vava Arts studio where he has designed portraits of famous people like Mahatma Ghandi, Nelson Madela, and Dr. Mathew Lukwiya among others The visual artists plan to establish one of the biggest art galleries in the post-conflict Northern Uganda. 

Why Non-degradable plastic materials should be properly disposed off. According to scientists poor disposal of plastic has negative Impacts to the people's lives and that of reptile such as fish. On Humans the poorly disposed off of the Non degradable can lead to Diseases like Cancer among other diseases then on the side of Reptiles such as fish the Accumulation of Non degradable wastes can lead excessive accumulation of carbon dioxide in the water bodies which in turn interferes with a key brain receptor in fishes' brains, affecting their ability to hear, smell, turn and evade predators

EZYAGRIC: WHAT ALL FARMERS SHOULD EMBRACE TO ADDRESS CHALLENGES IN THE AGRICULTURAL SECTOR?

 BY SAMUEL NABWIISO

 The Agricultural sector is considered the Economic back bone of Uganda, contributing about 25% of the Country's Gross Domestic Product and 70% employment of the Country's population.

 The major players in the sector according to Information from Bank of Uganda are the smallholder farmers with women taking majority share, whilst the youth participate the least despite them contributing the largest percentage to the country’s population.

 The justification for their negative attitudes towards the Agriculture Sector has been attributed to the many challenges being faced in the sector such as access to credits from financial Institutions, fake Agro-inputs on the market, inadequate access to Agricultural Extension services, alongside limited market access for their produce both Locally, Regionally and Internationally among others.

 Resultantly, this has compelled the Private sector to wake up and come up with cheap and yet convenient solutions to help avert the above challenges and make agriculture lucrative through digitization.

 Uganda’s mobile phone penetration has seen a steep growth year on year currently sitting at 6.6 million users and projected to more than double in the next decade.

 Information and Technology companies such as EZYAGRIChavedeveloped an IT Farmers App that can support farmers to overcome such challenges and those who have used the application can attest to how it has been a major game changer.

 Mr.Kalanzi Patrick from Zirobwe, Luwero District in Ugandasays “The App has helped him gain access to genuine and high-quality inputs delivered in a timely manner at a click of a button, an element that has since increased his yield.

Kalanzi Patrick from Zirobwe  who has tested the App saay the technology has heleped hi to access Agri -inputs

The EzyAgric Appis an end-to-end farming solution that supports farmers to improve their livelihoods through simplified farmer planning, supporting farmers to access to genuine Agro -inputs, e-extension services, alongside other benefits such as farmer linkage to market of their produce and also access to credits from financial institutions such as banks and micro finance.

 According to Matilda Babuleka the Chief Product Marketing Officer at EzyAgric the App was developed to make Agricultural sector more lucrative to all Ugandans because it creates a conducive Environment to all players in the Sector which enhances productivity and revenue earnings to all players from the farmers to the Agro-Business communities.

How to get the App?

 The applicationis available on the Google play store where it can be downloaded for those farmers with smart phone's, the App takes a Small space of about 25Mb.

 To ensure that no farmer is left out, EZYAGRIC is also working with the community Agents who have been trained to use the App and support them onboard.

 How to use the EzyAgric App?

1.    Download the EzyAgricApp from Google play store and install on your phone.

 

    Register for an account using your mobile phone number which will be validated and confirmed.

 

3.    Browse the list of the services of your choice for example Agro-inputs like seeds, fertilizers and farming tools or Agriculture credit in the App.

 

4.    Once the preferred service has been made,the user proceeds to check out and payment is initiated.

5.     

6.   Post order confirmation, user proceeds to effect the payment which is also digital, through mobile money.

 

With such new innovations Information and Communication technology can make farming very cheap, more productive hence improving the livelihoods of Sector players in Agriculture.

 

Download Now from google play store

 

 

 

Disabled,s demands conducive Environment to fully participate in the general National Elections

 BY SAMUEL NABWIISO

People's with Disabilities in Uganda are calling upon the Electoral Commission (EC)to create conducive Environment that will enable them to effectively participate in the general coming national Elections Exercise.

 Addressing the media in Kampala the Executive Director of the National Union of Disabled Persons Uganda(NUDIPU) Ngirabakunzi Edson said Disabled people's like their counter parts have right to participate in the  Country's politics through voting their leaders at all levels but the Environment on many occasions has not been favoring them thus their rights being disfranchised.

 "NUDIPU there for we call the EC to ensure that all the polling centers are accessible  and within reasonable distance to enable persons with Disabilities fully and effectively participate in the Electoral process “He said.

 Apart from making the centers to be accessible to the disabled persons, NUDIPU also is challenging the Electoral body to commence translating all the Electoral material information into the languages which can be easily understood by the  disabled people's especially the blind ones.

The CEO on Right Stressing point during the recent Press conference 

 "The Blind people's should be supported by the EC by coming up with the information in broil format this will help them to make better decisions making when choosing their leaders of their choice”. He added

 When asked if they have engaged the EC on the above Queries,Ngirabakunzi told the East African Business Week that NUDIPU has had many forums with EC on such issues but the government agency had kept silent on the matter yet the Country has great number of People's with Disabilities and of which great number of them are  eligible voters

 According to Martin Ssennoga the program Manager at NUDIPU,Uganda has a population of about 6 million people with Disabilities of which 4 million of them are eligible voters but Majority have not effectively participated in national voting exercise because of the poor Environment that does not favours them to enjoy their political rights.

 When this Website tried to get comments from the EC Spokesperson Paul Bukenya his Known phone Number was not available to comment on the demands raised by NUDIPU

 Uganda will be conducting a National general Elections where the citizens will be voting the head of state, Parliamentary Legislator's, alongside country wide local government leaders , Special Interest groups representatives according to the Election road map the exercise will commence from 14/January towards the end of march 2021.

 

Vote only Leaders with Biodiversity conservation face

BY SAMUEL NABWIISO

As Ugandan prepare to elect new leaders comes to 2021 we should be wise to elect only leaders who have Biodiversity Conservationists face.

The current regime of leaders has been disaster to the Country's Biodiversity, some have been bribed by the so called Investors such that they can set up investments in protected lands such as wetlands, the good case is the Sugar cane growing in Most parts of Busoga region this has not only destroyed the Environment but also has escalated the level of poverty and Environmental related disaster s such floods.

Other kind of Corruption has been manifested in the giving away of the Central forest reserve's to Investors scenario that has fueled Environmental Refugees in the country. The current regime leaders starting from the top to local governments failed to ensure that the ordinary person gets access to cheap source of  energy  when you look at the cost of Electricity in the country power is still expensive despite the fact that the country has invested a lot of money in the Construction of both min and large power dams.

 

 The high cost of power in the country has forced the tax payers to continue using bio-masses which is not environmentally friendly  majority of the citizens ends up cutting down trees for charcoal which is considered as the Major source of energy in most urban towns in the Country and this comes with big impacts especilly on the health of the people.

Over depending on biomass's as source of Energy also has health implications because it exposes the tax payers to respiratory related diseases this greatly affects the children and their mothers. Thus having leaders that have the face of Environmental conservation will help us to protect our Country's Biodiversity,through advocating for policies that are Environmentally friendly.

Samuel Nabwiiso

 Protecting our Environment has both social and Economic assets for our Our country because it helps in the mitigation of climate change, reduces the incidences of flooding which has claimed lives of thousand Ugandans especially in the mountainous regions that's to say Bugisu and Mountainous regions of  Rwenzori regions respectively.

 

 The economic impacts of these floods has been on two aspects, on the Government side and social impacts , on the government , government has spent a lot of money in the process of dislocating the Environmental refuges and also the loss of assets by the victims especially their crops and Animals that on most occasion have been destroyed and killed because of the floods.

 On the aspects of social impacts the destruction of the biodiversity has led to the separation of communities the good example are the victims of the Bududa floods incidences ,some of the victims we're forced to go to Kenya others are in Bunyoro region (Kiryandongo) where the Government settled them but this has socially  impacted  those communities.

Bududa Victims being relocated after the mudslide 

 It's on that back ground that voters, vote only leaders that Will Ensure that our Environment is used in sustainable manners. The current regime whose terms in office which is ending in  the early 2021 have done less when it comes to sensitizing the local communities to protect Nature, the civil Society's organization tried to play their role through carrying out Advocacy but this has not yielded big achievement because of the limited participation of  both local government leaders and those at the Top. 

Nabwiiso Samuel is an Environment Journalist

 He can be reached on 0752808923 Email. nabwiisoug@gmail.com

Streamline Timber Trade to protect Local timber market

 

B y SAMUEL NABWIISO

 Biodiversity Conservationists are appealing to the Government of Uganda to put up strong mechanisms that can help in the fight against the Importation of Illegal Timbers into the Country.

 They urgues that the Importation of Illegal Timbers from the Neighboring countries such as Democratic Republic of Congo and Southern Sudan is distorting the market for locally produced timber and its wood product's

 David Duli the country Director World Wide Fund for Nature (WWF) told Environment News Uganda that many forest farmers are not benefitting from their investment because of the market which is flooded with Illegal imported Timbers.

 "Certified Timbers on the market carries premium price which is an asset to the farmers but when the market is flooded with Illegal imported Timbers it lowers the local market price thus discouraging the local people to venture into tree farming “He told ENU.

 According to Duli, Uganda imports  approximately 9000 cubic metrics of high value mahogany and other saw Timbers from DRC and once such Timbers enters Uganda is considered legal this makes  it difficult to regulate the trading of timber into the country.

David Duli of WWF stressing point during the media briefing recently on his Right  Cissy Kagaba of ACCU

 The problem of Illegal entry of Timbers from DRC and Southern Sudan is attributed to weak legal policies in the country that cannot stream lime timber trade , According to the recent study on the gap analysis of the Hindrances to effective Trade in Forest product's in Uganda conducted by WWF and Anti Corruption Coalition Uganda (ACCU) it was found that the National Forrest and Tree Planting Act of 2003 it mainly focus on Planting, growing and protection of trees  only despite  having  provisions on regulation of harvesting and movement of Forest product's.

 "To our concern the provisions  there in concerning the trade of Forest product's have not been operationalzed as CSO we are appealing to government to ensure that the provisions is implemented failure to do so Will promote Corruption in the timber industry" Cissy Kagaba the Executive Director of ACCU told the media during the release of the report.

 Why is Illegal logging of trees are bad?,Uganda,s forest  cover is currently estimated at 12.4% of it's total land area down from the 24% in 1990, because of deforestation and forest degradation. The Deforestation has been partly attributed to Illegal logging. Unsustainable harvesting and Illegal and uncertified wood product's on the market

 According to other studies conducted by the ministry of water and Environment (2016) indicated that the combined effect of high Deforestation of about 92,000 hectares and high consumption estimated at 360,000 cubic metres per year of wood which is equivalent to 1,440,000 cubic meters of round saw logs  at current sawing efficiency of 25% is resulting in an accelerated imbalance between national demand and supply  of Forest wood based product's

 Another study conducted in2014 indicated that over 80% of the timber traded in the market was Illegal causing an estimated annual financial loss of about Sh 23bn through until paid taxes.