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In Support of President on saboteurs of natural resources
2006-01-31 08:59:16
By Editor
During his tour at the Ministry of Natural Resources and Tourism on Friday, President Jakaya Kikwete lashed out at what he termed corrupt officials in the ministry who just stand by and watch, or even participate in the wanton deforestation of the country’ natural beauty.
The President looked genuinely concerned about this development and reiterated that just as it is the case with his stand on the corrupt officials of the Lands Ministry, he was ready to retire in public interest, all officials of the Natural Resources ministry who put their personal interests above those of the nation.
He directed Minister Anthony Diallo to hand over to him a list of suspected corrupt and dishonest staff in his ministry so that he may use his powers to fire them.
The President’s anger is very much understandable.
If this country has reached a stage whereby Forestry officials start the business of felling trees, charcoal burning and even illegal game hunting, then what steam is left in the war against environmental destruction?
If this is what is happening, who is going to oversee the government’s drive in the preservation of forests?
Last year we wrote in-depth reports on wanton destruction of forests in Kisarawe, Rufiji, Pangani, Morogoro by unscrupulous people, some of who collude with forestry officials. These fell trees for timber, building poles, export, charcoal and for firewood.
In our reports, we mentioned that forest officials who issued permits to people to harvest forest products, did not make a follow up to ensure that the conditions attached therein were strictly adhered to.
The conditions included the type and quantity of trees to be felled, including strict replacement of the felled trees.
As a result of this laxity, tonnes and tonnes of forest products, such as charcoal, are being transported to the city of Dar es Salaam everyday, representing hundreds of hectares of forests being destroyed.
The overall result of all this destruction for the country is deforestation and ultimately, desertification.
Environmentalists have also attributed the erratic behaviour of rains to deforestation.
Lack of or scarcity of rainfall speed up desertification. Concerned about this is the Morogoro Regional Commissioner, Stephen Mashishanga.
Mashishanga attributes another factor in the desertification process to pastoralists whose nomadic way of life has wreaked havoc to the environment, as it destroys water sources.
We support President Kikwete in his intention to rectify the deteriorating environmental situation and we have every reason to believe that his words would be transformed into deeds.
Our descendants will not forgive us if they will come to learn from history how irresponsible we have been in helping to turn our vast swathes of beautiful land endowed to us by nature into deserts.
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