The Speaker of Parliament Rt. Hon. Rebecca Kadaga, has urged Ugandans to plant more trees in order to preserve the environment, and to also enjoy the positive outcomes of climate change.
“We all know about climate change. If we do not plant more trees we shall face its negative impacts,’’ she said. The Speaker was Chief Guest at a Thanksgiving Ceremony for Hon. Lawrence Biyika Songa, (Ora County) at the District Farm Institute in Zeu, Zombo district, on Saturday 22nd April 2017.
Kadaga also told the residents that when she was flying over the region, she had noticed that while a very big piece land was covered by the Lendu forest in one area, the rest of the land was bare. , She therefore advised the political and cultural institutions to promote and call on their people to plant as many trees as they can, so as to protect the environment.
The Speaker also proposed a new practice to the residents of Zombo, when she rallied every person to plant a tree at any big function be it a political thanksgiving ceremony or a family party.
“Whenever we have a good occasion, like weddings and introductions, let us plant trees for our new in-laws, and also in our own new homes. We should also plant a tree for any newly borne babies, so as to make Uganda evergreen,” she advised.
Hinting on the fact that Zombo is the largest tea producer in Uganda, the Speaker called on the Government to establish a tea production factory in order to create more jobs for the people of Zombo, and to also promote value addition to the tea processing industry rather than exporting it to other places in raw forms.
Kadaga also called on the Zombo community to embrace Operation Wealth Creation, and utilize the seeds well. She, however, warned on the misuse of the products they receive.