KAMPALA – The National Environment Management Authority (NEMA) has reaffirmed its position to crack down on encroachers and cancel land titles issued to private developers in wetlands.
In a statement to mark World Wetlands Day, 2024, today, Friday, February 2, 2024, NEMA said the government has decided to scale up actions on wetland conservation including canceling wetland titles, restoration of degraded wetlands, and enforcement
and provision of alternative livelihoods to wetland users.
“Already 610 land titles in wetlands have been canceled and 300 more are lined up for cancellation,” NEMA said, adding that people who encroach on wetlands shall be prosecuted.
In 2022, and subsequently in 2023, together with several partners, NEMA said it had a successful restoration of part of Lubigi Wetland, and several others across the country.
“This process will continue. And the indefinite suspension of approvals for all projects in wetland ecosystems that NEMA issued on 2nd September 2021 still stands, and the process of auditing previously approved projects is ongoing,” the statement indicated.
NEMA re-echoed the call by President Museveni, to those illegally occupying wetlands to leave voluntarily before the long arm of the law catches up with them.
“We also continue to raise awareness about the vital role of wetlands for people and the wider environment”.
Nearly 90% of the world’s wetlands have been degraded since 1700s, and, wetlands are being lost three times faster than forests.
In Uganda as per the latest National State of Environment Report 2022, wetland overall coverage declined from 15.6% in 1994 to 13.9%. Of this, the intact wetlands now stand at 9.3% which is an improvement from the 8.9% as of 2019.
The 2024 edition of edition of World Wetlands Day, 2024, is being held under the theme “Wetlands and Human Wellbeing” in the Ugandan city of Gulu.
The day is celebrated annually on 2nd February to mark the date of adoption of the Convention on Wetlands in 1971, in the Iranian city of Ramsar. Uganda is a signatory to the Convention, and therefore, joins the global community to raise awareness about the vital role of wetlands for people and the planet.
