KAMPALA – Members of Parliament have tasked government to conclude investigations into the alleged illegal activities in Aswa Ranch in a period of three weeks.
The directive followed a brief report by the Minister for State of Environment, Beatrice Atim Anywar on Thursday during the 12th sitting of the 3rd session of the 11th Parliament.
The House however was not convinced by Anywar’s report which did not provide supporting evidence on the ownership of the contested land where the destruction of the engendered tree species has taken place as government opens up land for food production.
The Aruu North County Member of Parliament, Santa Okot told Parliament that Aswa Ranch has been turned into a hotspot of environmental destruction for charcoal production and logging.
The legislator claimed the Uganda Prisons Service which has acquired part of the ranch for massive food production has discriminately destroyed the endangered tree species in the area.
Her claim was backed by the Gulu West Division legislator, Martin Ojara Martin Mapenduzi who accused the government of blocking the local leaders from accessing the ranch.
Meanwhile, the Leader of Opposition in Parliament [LoP] Mathias Mpuga has tasked Minister Anywar to explain why a number of government agencies and top government officials have acquired titles in some of the forest reserves.
In her ruling, Speaker of Parliament, Anita Among directed Anywar to table her report with evidence to parliament in three weeks for Members to debate.
She also tasked the Agriculture Ministry to present a joint report on Aswa Ranch as far as ownership and food production are concerned.
The land in question measuring about 105, 400 hectares, was initially leased to the Uganda Development Corporation in 1966 and later to the Uganda Livestock Industries, according to the report from the Pader district land department.
Meanwhile, on August 1, 2022, a cabinet meeting at State House Entebbe chaired by Museveni, resolved to boost food and animal feed security in the country in part of the ranch.
The resolution passed was to boost food security in the country following the recent hunger that occurred in different parts of the country .
The production of maize in the contested land was allocated 114,219 acreages, soybean 59 acreages beans 22,810 acreages sorghum 2,720 acreages totaling up to 224,640, according to the resolution.
The government agencies including Uganda Prisons Service [UPS] were to cultivate 50,000 acres, Uganda People’s Defence Force [UPDF]10,000 acres, National Enterprise Corporation [NEC] 280 acres, veterans 4,707 acres, and National Agricultural Research Organisation] [NARO] 10,000 acres.
The National Animal Genetic Resources Centre and Data Bank [NAGRC&DB] was allocated 30,000 acres, and large-scale farmers 314,000 acres.
The land measuring 75 square kilometers stretches through the upper belt of Aswa river into the four Sub-counties of Angagura, Laguti, Ajan, and Plabek covering three districts of Pader, Lamwo, and Pagee Division in Kitgum Municipality. Locals are contesting ownership of the land.
https://thecooperator.news/ups-suspends-activities-for-massive-food-production-over-land-dispute/
Buy your copy of thecooperator magazine from one of our country-wide vending points or an e-copy on emag.thecooperator.news
Views: 6
