Lango leaders call for action againts wetland degradation

30 December 2025, 22:39

By Ambrose Okwanga

Some local leaders in Lango have expressed concern about the high rate of wetland degradation in the area calling for arrest of victims.

The LC3 chairperson of Ayami subcounty in Lira district, Thomas Obur said the environmental department of the district recently demarcated wetlands in the area but locals near wetlands still continue to degrade it.

Obur said currently some people are growing vegetables, rice and sugarcane in the wetlands especially in villages like Acutkumu and Acan makweri where most people have invaded wetlands and some locals have even sold parts of the wetland to others.

He also said some people are using chemical herbicides to reclaim wetlands which is a danger to plants, birds and animals that live in the water.

However, he said authorities recently arrested and persecuted a reknown degrader in the subcounty hoping he will be an example for others to stop wetland degradation.

He therefore called upon government to start punishing victims without favor in accordance with the law so that people can take the presidential directive to stop wetland degradation seriously.

The LC1 chairperson of Akwal village Abok subcounty in Oyam district , Richard Okwir said stoping the vice is still a challenge because people have not been fully sensitised about the dangers of wetland degradation.

Okwir said the subcounty authorities of Abok were yet to come up with a fine for wetland degraders as a by law in order curb the vice.

Walter Ocen, the senior environmental officer for Lira district said they have already demarcated all the wetlands in the district to help locals differentiate wetlands and low land areas.

Ocen said last season they arrested, Alvimos Acede a resident of Gulwor village in Ayami subcounty for degrading Moroto wetland and was later sentenced to 4 years imprisonment.

He promised that the authorities will continue carrying out operation in wetland areas to ensure that the locals are not degrading wetlands.