Africa-Press – Tanzania. THE use of charcoal and firewood in the country leads to the destruction of a total of 48,000 million acres of forests every year, the government has said.
Minister of State, Vice President’s Office, Union and Environment Selemani Jafo disclosed the figures yesterday, saying the government is on course to curb the challenge and maintain the country’s ecosystem.
He said some of the efforts include embarking on a campaign that will see every local government council plant a minimum of 1.5 million trees per year.
“The 1.5 million trees that are being planted have to be sustained for the country to successfully maintain the ecology,” said Mr Jafo as he was addressing members of the media on the upcoming world environment day that is marked every 5th June.
At national level, the day will be marked from June 1-5th in Dodoma’s Jakaya Kikwete Conventional Centre, under the theme ‘The use of alternative sources of energy for ecosystem restoration’, with the vice President Dr Phillip Mpango expected to be the guest of honor.
At the global level, the day will be marked in Pakistan under the theme ‘Ecosystem restoration’. The celebration will feature a number of events, including the launch of national cleanness and environmental protection campaign, as well as stakeholder seminars on alternative source of energy for cooking in efforts to stop underprivileged Tanzanians from using firewood and charcoal as a primary source of energy.
“On 3rdJune this year, we shall hold a seminar for environmental officers from all regions and councils across the country,” he said, adding that on the 4th of June there will also be a workshop for all stakeholders who will be taken through different topics related to environmental protection.
The day will be marked by tree-planting campaigns across the country and public workshops to discuss the huge challenge facing the nation in terms of deforestation and environmental pollution
