Editorial
The State Minister for Public Service, Mary Grace Mugasa, has urged Ugandans to take personal responsibility in protecting the environment, warning that continued neglect could worsen natural disasters such as global warming, floods, and soil erosion.
She made the remarks while addressing Christians at St. Charles Lwanga Kahunde Catholic Parish in Kyanaisoke Sub-County, Kagadi District during celebrations marking 10 years of episcopal service for Rt.Rev.Vincent Kirabo Amooti, the ordinary of Hoima Catholic Diocese.
Minister Mugasa emphasized that government efforts toward environmental conservation in the face of climate change, will succeed only if citizens actively participate. She warned against encroaching on wetlands and forest reserves for farming, lumbering, and charcoal production, noting that such uncontrolled practices could have disastrous consequences.
She also encouraged residents to strengthen afforestation initiatives to prevent desertification—an increasingly urgent concern in light of economic activities such as oil extraction in the Albertine Graben.
“Trees are vital for human survival and environmental stability. Protecting them is protecting our future,” she said, urging communities to embrace tree planting and sustainable land use.
Minister Mugasa additionally encouraged farmers to plant fruit trees such as jackfruit, guavas, and mangoes, highlighting their dual benefits of food security and environmental conservation.
She advised that commercial agriculture should coexist with environmental stewardship.
“Farming should be profitable, but it must not destroy the resources that sustain us,” she noted