About 40 houses in Pabbo Trading centre in Amuru district have been left roofless after their tops were on Wednesday last week blown off by a storm.
The storm left a 14 year old child with a broken leg after a collapsing roof fell on him. The child was rushed to St. Mary’s Hospital Lacor in Gulu.
Lawil Ocaya, a resident of Kal Parish in Pabbo Sub County told Acholi Times that the storm destroyed 40 houses.
The storm, according to residents of Kal-parish, destroyed only houses roofed with iron sheets.
Some residents interviewed claimed the storm was sent by the “gods” of Kilak hill angry at the massive tree cutting for charcoal in Amuru.
Lawil Ocaya, said it was not the first time the gods were angered by the destruction of trees.
Catherine Alanyo, another resident of Kal-Parish in Pabo blamed the areas cultural leaders for not performing rituals she did not explain to make the gods happy.
Alanyo pointed an accusing finger at the Pabbo LC3 Chairman Christopher Ojera for issuing out licences to cut down trees. Alanya accused the Pabbo LC3 Chair for being corrupt.
“He has become so corrupt. He receives Shs 2m from anyone who wants to cut trees in Pabo. He does not mind about the dangers,” Alanyo alleged.
Rwot Zacheo Achaye Agole II, the chief of the Pabo clan when contacted at his home in Pabbo trading centre also accused the sub County chairperson of extorting money from those burning charcoal.
The chief alleged that he tried to stop charcoal burning but the Sub County chairman disrespected his efforts.
The chief agreed with residents who claimed that the gods of Kilak are angry at wanton tree cutting.
“I agree with the local community because those cutting trees have failed to respect the hills. The trees are being cut anyhow. For us the local chiefs no body respects us even when we call them they do not listen. We are not considered”, Rwot Achaye II told Acholi Times.
Christopher Ojera, the sub County Chairman LC 3 when contacted dismissed the allegations against him saying he too tried to stop those cutting trees for charcoal but failed because the charcoal burners have god fathers in government.
‘‘They [charcoal burners] say that there is no law against tree cutting for either charcoal or timber. I tried to stop it but I was defeated so I gave up. Those who accuse me do not know how much I am struggling here in Pabo,” Ojera said.
According to Ojera, some of the charcoal burners are so crafty that they now get licences from Adjumani district but use it in Pabbo.
Ojera, however, admitted that Pabbo sub county earns one million shillings a month in revenues from charcoal dealers.
1 Comment
Pe iromo ye ni meno dano loko kit man. Jogi aye ocweyo dano kece Lacwec ma i polo aye? Gwok yadi ma kitongogi aye nongo gengo yamo weko pe kodo marac i kom odi. One million shs a month earned for destruction of national resources is painfully cheap. You do need to conserve the environment because the effect will be against all the people in that region and beyond. The upper part of Africa is now desert (odoko aro) because of careless tree cutting.