BY DAVID MAFABI
The government will share strategies for the restoration of the environment and natural resources following a spell of global climate challenges.
President Museveni said that the dependence on rainfall and the degraded ecosystem poses jeopardy to Uganda’s economy in the face of climate challenges.
This announcement made by President Museveni was during the closing ceremony of the National Scouts Camp that started on August 12th at the scouts’ home in Kaazi, Wakiso District.
More than 2873 scouts attended the 5 days camp, which recorded the youngest scout, a 17months old Ssanyu Davina from Kamuli District. 39 of the scouts were awarded a wood badge which is the equivalent of the degree level.
The scouts participated in-game competitions, parade organisation, talent and cultural shows, music, dance, and drama.
President Museveni, also the patron of the Uganda Scouts Association tasked the scouts to contextualize the issues of the people and seek ways to help provide solutions.
Among the issues, the President pointed out the climate and environmental challenges as well as self-inflicted poverty emanating from the inadequate application of the abundant African resources by the people.
He said that the scouts are fit to start preaching the gospel of environmental protection and fighting poverty because their duties encompass character and attitude formation.
“Scouting is about character and attitude formation. It is clear the aim is about character building and attitude change, it’s therefore up to us to contextualize how we can help our people to get out of poverty and to look after our resources,” President Museveni said.
“Scouting movement should teach our people to go away from working for the stomach to food security and income generation using resources they have. We should also involve the issue of the environment,” he added.
He noted with concern the different global challenges including the prolonged heat wave in Europe and the dry spell in Uganda that culminated in famine in isolated parts of the country and extreme weather events and rainfall which are becoming more common causing floods.
He used the same occasion to announce that the government has made plans to restore the environment in an effort to achieve food security and asked all Ugandans to take climate action, or climate change impacts will intensify.
“Government will come up with a plan to fully restore our environment here. Once we are done, you will see the environment,” he said.
This comes at the time Wetlands across the country have declined from 15% to 9% in a period of 30 years while forest cover now stands at 9% as of 2015, down from 45% before independence. Government efforts previously have ensured that the forest cover climbs to 13%.
The State Minister of Primary Education Dr Moriku Kaducu who read the speech for the Minister of Education & Sports Hon Janet Kataha Museveni said the scout movement has distinguished itself worldwide as a time tried and tested effort which equips boys and girls to be responsible and productive citizens for their countries.
“I commend you for this significant effort of molding the younger generation to always have the optimistic mindset in the face of diversity, seek opportunities for personal development and draw futuristic lessons in every situation,” she said.
Gen Edward Katumba Wamala, the Minister for Works and Transport applauded the scouts and guides organisation for the nature of scouts’ training, maintaining that the formation starts at a younger age so that candidates benefit and become useful as well to their country.
“True to this year’s theme of embracing COVID-19 challenges for steady progress, I wish to inform you that we aim to train our scouts while they are still young such that they can easily embrace the future challenges without deviation,” Gen Katumba said
And quoting from a biblical source Proverbs 22:6, Train up a child in the way he should go, And when he is old he will not depart from it, Gen Katumba Wamala emphasised the need to train children into scouting when they are young.
The Chief Scout and former Dr Maggie Kigozi applauded the president for his efforts in protecting the environment and also fighting for the retention of the scouts’ land which houses a forest in Kaazi.
Dr Kigozi said that retaining the land at Kaazi “ has helped us conserve our forest here which is the nearest forest from the city.”
“We intend to use these well-conserved resources for tourism attraction, the forest is fresh and we have a bird-watching tower, monkeys, etc,” Dr Kigozi said. Ends
