The National Forest Authority (NFA) has teamed up with the judiciary to press hard on forest encroachers who are responsible for the destruction of forest cover to a drop of 18 from 24 percent.
The forest authority have stroked a collaboration partnership with the Director Of Public Prosecution (DPP) to sensitize judicial officials, ranging from magistrates to judges on how to best handle cases concerning forests.
The sector performance report for the Ministry of Water for the financial year 2012/2013 reveals that the area of natural forests and woodlands is drastically reducing. By 2009, Uganda's forest cover was 18%, having declined from 24%in 1990. Efforts to reverse the misfortune are slim due to an unfavorable judiciary. The authority is concerned abusers manipulate the existing laws to safeguard their evil.
To avert the situation, the forest authority has strengthened ties with the judiciary to try and limit the foul players from the abuse of forest cover.
Initially, persons found participating in illegal timber deals include confiscation of the timber, a fine may be imposed and a prison sentence of not exceeding three years. And the illegal timber is auctioned out.
Penalties some view as lenient, and can't deter likely offenders.
In the recent past, the environmental police was instituted but its impact has been minimal, since they don't dictate the outcome of the case.
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