SOTU urges Malawi government to ratify RACCNNR

NaijaAgroNet

The Executive Director, State of the Union (SOTU), Edward Chileka Banda has called on government of Malawi to ratify the Revised African Union Convention on Conservation of Nature and Natural Resources (RACCNNR), NaijaAgroNet reports.

He made this call at SOTU programme in Malawi in collaboration with community leaders, local government officials, and students over the weekend petitioned President Peter Mutharika and his government to address issues of Climate change.

SOTU’s petition which was on conservation of natural resources; climate change; disaster management and preparedness  was presented to Mutharika through the office of the Chikwawa District Commissioner, Bester Mandele, who promised to deliver the petition to central government.

NaijaAgroNet gathered that prior to the petition, the CSOs held Stakeholders Conference under the theme; "Fight Climate Change, avoid Natural Disasters, Safeguard the Future". Consequently it was observed that environmental degradation is worsened due to poor land management policies, over population and lack of alternative energy sources.

Banda said there is need also for government to create evacuation Centers in floods prone areas to avoid disrupting school classes during disasters. In the petition, NaijaAgroNet learnt they have also asked President Mutharika to depoliticize management and conservation of natural resources such as forest reserves. During the conference, Paramount Chief Lundu commended the youths for the initiative of engaging people directly affected by floods in the Lower Shire.

Lundu said the community participation and empowerment would be key in addressing environmental challenges. Eye for Development (EFD) organised the event under SOTU Platform which are championing the AU charter on nature and natural resources.

Cyriacus Nnaji/GEE

 
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Wildlife killing, environmental degradation criminal in Malawi

NaijaAgroNet

The killing of wild animals and degradation of the environment in Malawi have become criminal offences, NaijaAgroNet reports. 

The President of Malawi, Peter Mutharika who emphasized that his government will apply tough laws against people who kill wild animals and degrade the environment was speaking at the launch of Malawi Parliamentary Conservation Caucus, Tuesday, in Lilongwe, adding that his commitment will help stop and reverse the current situation of wildlife and natural resources destruction.

"Those smuggling or killing our wild animals will face the law. Careless cutting down of our trees is a crime. We aim to harness wildlife and environment promotion policies and also working to introduce laws that will make these acts strong crimes," Muthurika stated while adding that the development of the National Conservation Policy is key.

The Minister for Natural Resources, Energy and Mining, Bright Msaka, NaijaAgroNet gathered, said the caucus will see parliamentarians become conservation activists. "We also have the Parliamentary Committee on Environment. In the caucus we are adding 178 more activists. True activists are not those who will point at a river and say it is dirty, but real activists will go out and clean the river," he said.

He went further to say that his ministry had in the meantime detained a truckload of hardwood at the border with Tanzania at Songwe.
Chairperson for Parliamentary Committee on Natural Resources and Climate Change, WelaniChilenga said the MPCC caucus aims to build capacity of Members of Parliament (MPs) about the value of conservation of the country's natural resources.

Malawi, NaijaAgroNet  learnt, is losing most of its green cover and wild life to fraudulent loggers and poachers, including foreigners like Europeans who externalize rare fish species and Chinese who kill elephants for their ivory.

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 Pix: The President of Malawi, Peter Mutharika