Only 2% of the 16% of the population on the grid use it for cooking
Power giants Umeme Ltd have started a tree planting drive that will look to protect Uganda’s endangered forest cover.
The event organized in conjunction with Nature Uganda was graced by the area Member of Parliament, Mukono south, Johnson Muyanja Ssenyonga, the Chairman Uganda National Association of the Blind Mr. Richard Anguyo, local leaders, the school administration and the seventy pupils of the school.
In his remarks, the guest of honour, Hon Muyanja thanked Umeme wholeheartedly for taking the initiative to partner with Nature Uganda to conserve the environment especially at the Salama School for the Blind.
On his part, MD, Selestino Babungi informed the gathering that Umeme is cognizant of the number of poles we use annually to distribute power and the degradation of our forests over the years hence the need plant more trees in a bid conserve the environment.
Umeme is resorting to using transformers without oil as part of its efforts to conserve the environment, its chief executive officer, said over the weekend.
“We are already doing it in the way we are disposing off our transformers. This tree-planting initiative is to reaffirm our commitment to conserving our environment,” said Mr. Babungi, during a tree-plant event at the Salaama School for the Deaf, Mukono.
“Umeme believes that as we work towards fulfilling the needs of the school, we shall as well be working towards conserving the environment,” Babungi added.
“Only 2% of the 16% of the population on the grid use it for cooking. Others use firewood. This initiative will help us bridge this gap by replacing the cut trees and we work to improve electricity access across the country,” he said.
Achilles Byaruhanga, the Nature Uganda boss, thanked Umeme for the partnership. He disclosed that the Government has a programme to plant 10million trees in the next 10 years.
Muyanja asked Umeme to continue sensitising communities on environment conservation.
