Kampala, Uganda | THE BLACK EXAMINER | The Office of the Prime Minister has disclosed that the government allocates an annual budget of 4.019 Trillion shillings to procure firewood for refugees. This revelation was made during a parliamentary session held last Thursday, highlighting that refugees rely on this firewood for cooking.

Notably, in May of this year, President Museveni issued Executive Order No 3, which included a ban on charcoal production and trade in Northern Uganda as part of the broader environmental conservation efforts.

It’s worth mentioning that this expenditure on firewood is part of the overall annual budget for refugee response in Uganda, which amounts to 4.944 Trillion shillings.

During the parliamentary briefing, Hillary Onek, the Minister for Relief and Disaster Preparedness, provided further insights, stating, “97% of refugees (approximately 1.3 million refugees) use firewood, with each consuming 1.6 kilograms per year, valued at 5,000 shillings per day, as indicated by research reports from organizations such as the Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO), World Bank, and World Food Programme (WFP).”

Onek also revealed that the government was planning to secure additional funding amounting to US$280 million (approximately 1.059 Trillion shillings) from the World Bank to support refugees residing in Uganda.

In response to this revelation, Joanita Person expressed concerns about the substantial allocation of funds toward firewood, stating, “Is the Prime Minister comfortable with more than 90% going to firewood? Whichever way you look at it, there’s no going around the intentional destructive attitudes of our country’s leadership.”

Another individual known as Sparta recommended that the allocated funds be utilized more judiciously, saying, “4 Trillion goes for environmental destruction, in simple terms. 4 Trillion shillings can be used to establish green energy sources like biogas, LPG, electricity, ethanol, natural gas, and solar power (BLEENS), which are cost-effective, environmentally friendly, and long-lasting, saving billions for the country.”

Mukaada Dickson questioned the discrepancy in allowing refugees to use firewood while restricting citizens’ use of charcoal, suggesting that both should be treated equally.

In the meantime, the National Development Plan III for 2020-2025 has set a target to increase the forested land area from 9.1 percent in 2020 to 15 percent by 2025. The National Forestry Authority (NFA) reports that the current forest cover has already increased to 13.4 percent, and the additional support they are receiving will make it easier to achieve the set goal.