Nwoya: Crackdown on charcoal dealers intensifies 

BENSON ONGOM

Nwoya-Nwoya district has intensified the crackdown on charcoal dealers and loggers.

In an effort to save nature, the district has come out with a forest harvesting guideline which will see the recruitment of 100 youths per sub-county.

Local leaders say that in the fight against tree burning, they  feel frustrated by security personnel and big shots in government, some of whom are actually charcoal dealers. 

 Nwoya district speaker Tonny Okello said some big shots in government were fueling the vice.

"They frustrate us in our efforts to save the environment," Okello said. 

The local leaders say a number of concerns have been raised to the RDC, regional Police commander and technical persons but nothing has been done to stop illegal logging.

The district is now recruiting youth in different locations to ensure there is no tree cutting or charcoal burning as way of curbing the vice.

Aswa region Police spokesperson Patrick Jimmy Okema said what is being done by the local leaders is a postmortem but admits some policemen are being used for personal interest

Okema says police is doing community sensitisation and urged the public to report police officers involved in the vice.