Environment conservation activists have come out to mobilize for a total boycott of all products of Hoima Sugar Company in a move to save Bugoma forest reserve from the ongoing environmental abuse.
The activists under their slogan, “no death of forest” call upon all Ugandans, companies, NGOs and other stake holders to boycott products and isolate employees of the company saying its activities are a threat to the Eco-system in the country.
NEMA in the recent past cleared Hoima Sugar Limited to use the forest reserve for sugarcane growing and issued a certificate of approval after an Environmental and Social Impact Assessment.
However, decision by Government to give away the nine square miles of Bugoma forest to grow sugar canes, has been criticized by a greater majority of environmental conservationists, tourism enthusiasts plus other concerned Ugandans who value the need to conserve both natural and artificial forests for beauty and as a safeguard against climatic extremes in the country.
Members of the Save Bugoma Campaign, meeting journalists last weekend said they have been left with no choice but to urge Ugandans, traders, banks, markets and the world at large not to buy Hoima sugar and other products from the company because owners have adamantly refused to heed to calls to desist from destroying the environment.
During the meeting, one of the activists, Dickens Kamugisha, said the foreign company had ignored call from Ugandans to stop cutting down the forest.
“It is very unfortunate that the company is rapidly shaving down the forest to plant sugarcane by fronting the Environmental and Social Impact Assessment Certificate from NEMA, yet we have challenged it in court,” Kamugisha said.
Sam Musinguzi, a concerned environmental protection activist revealed that 1.8% of Uganda’s forest cover is lost every year and that in the past 20 years, 25% of the countries forests have been cut down.
“We can’t afford to lose such a tropical forest that is of great benefit to the country and the continent at large during such a time when we are advocating against climate change. It is a shame that someone wants to destroy a forest but thinks his children will have a bright future when the environment is destroyed. We can’t stoop so low like that,” Muchunguzu said.
“Why should such a rare tropical forest go down for ridiculous reasons like growing sugarcane yet Busoga region which has been engaged in the same business has not benefited much from the growing of sugarcane?” he wondered.
The Bugoma Tropical Forest Reserve sitting on about 65,000 hectares is situated southwest of Hoima, northeast of Kyenjojo towns, and east of Lake Albert, in the Hoima district.
The forest is home to 25 species of mammal, 225 species of birds and tree 260 species plus many chimpanzees.
