By Kei Emmanuel Duku
Government must enact law to combat rampant illegal logging and exploitation of the nation’s precious natural resources.
Director of Legal Aid Justice, Victor Batali Sillas made the appeal, saying the absence of environmental laws contributes to disappearance of national natural resources.
He cited choked water bodies due to waste disposal and frequent timber logging in Central Equatoria State and other areas, which also contribute to climate change.
Batali ‘s appeal followed a visit of a delegation led by National Minister of Environment and Forestry, Hon. Josephine Napon, to Central Equatoria State governor, Lt. Gen. Rabi Mujung Emmanuel, last week.
During the visit, the two leaders discussed pressing environmental governance issues plaguing the state and reiterated their shared commitment to protecting the environment. The meeting concurred with impounding of three trucks loaded of logs from Lainya County in Central Equatoria State, at the Kaya border post, bound for Uganda.
The Legal Aid Justice Director further stated that the nation’s Nile and other rivers, precious natural resources, are choking with plastic waste. This, he noted, is a testament to a throwaway culture that required not only policies but also a robust legal framework to address the challenges in the state.
“Without environmental and forestry laws, the state should be prepared for a climate catastrophe,” Sillas warned. “These policies and regulations are crucial for controlling natural resource utilization and ensuring its sustainability.”
The environmentalist added that, apart from the choking Nile and rivers, the nation’s rich biodiversity is also on the verge of extinction. He noted that authorities pay insufficient attention to these threats, evidenced by wildlife species disappearing at an unprecedented rate, driven by habitat loss, pollution, and climate change.
He argued that the persistent illegal logging in the state is driven by a lack of laws that protect and regulate human interactions with the environment, further exacerbated by political instability, poverty, and the allure of economic progress.
These challenges, the Director stated, have contributed to inappropriate management of natural resources and hindered environmental conservation. This has consequently undermined partnership and participation from local communities, authorities, and business people in decision-making processes. He emphasized that ensuring diverse perspectives and desires are considered, with proper guidelines, is vital for enhancing job creation, improving citizens’ livelihoods, and encouraging replenishment for future use.
The activist blamed the current environmental crisis in Central Equatoria State and the entire country on the nation’s top leadership.
He appealed, however, to the National Minister of Environment and Forestry to ensure that the state plants more trees, establishes state forestry reserves, and fosters community forestry reserves if it is to fight climate change and eradicate poverty.
He emphasized the need for the State Ministry of Environment and Forestry to create awareness programs on the dangers of deforestation, and to promote sustainable land use, proper waste disposal, and broader environmental conservation. He warned that deforestation can lead to displacement and the loss of traditional ways of life.
“To mitigate the deforestation rate, the state needs adequate laws to regulate companies and ensure individuals replant more trees,” he noted. “These efforts cannot be implemented without a legal framework.”
He added that the current conflict in the country is not only contributing to climate change or creating a weak system of governance, but it is negatively affecting biodiversity, upon which the majority of the population rely for their daily livelihood.
“Today we are witnessing wildlife poaching, unsustainable resource extraction, and habitat losses in the state, including controversies on illegal logging due to overlap of laws, policies, or regulations in both the state and national government,” he explained.
The lawyer added that the two leaders must work together to align both state and national policies in accordance with national laws that govern the utilization of natural resources, their management, environmental protection, and climate justice.
The delegation from the National Ministry of Forestry and Environment, which paid the courtesy visit to CES Governor Lt. Gen. Rabi Mujung Emmanuel, was led by Josephine Napon and Joseph Africano Bartel, Undersecretary of Environment, alongside other officials.
The visit aimed to foster partnership with the Central Equatoria State (CES) Government to combat illegal logging, marking a crucial turning point in the fight against environmental degradation.
During the meeting, discussions emphasized the critical importance of collaboration in combating conservation efforts, with a keen interest in addressing environmental protection, developing policies, and implementing sustainable natural resource management practices for the benefit of future generations.
While speaking to the Governor’s press unit after the meeting, the National Minister of Environment and Forestry reaffirmed her ministry’s commitment to working closely with the State leadership to advance environmental policies that promote ecological preservation and contribute to the broader development agenda of Central Equatoria State.