Environment policy gets more teeth

HILDA MHAGAMA

Minister of State, Vice President’s Office-Union and Environment, Mr January Makamba

THE National Environment Policy has been reviewed and updated for it to have more impact on ecological conservation and management in the country, the Minister of State in the Vice- President’s Office (Union and Environment) January Makamba, has announced.

Mr Makamba said the review involved various environment stakeholders for it to suit the current changes taking place worldwide. “The policy we are using was adopted in 1997 in which several things like climate change were not outlined in it; the reviewed policy is currently under cabinet evaluation.

We expect that by January next year, it will be complete and ready for use,” he noted. Speaking during a capacity building training for Environment Inspectors in Dar es Salaam yesterday, he said the National Environmental Policy was a comprehensive attempt to guide the conservation and management of natural resources and the environment in Tanzania.

The Minister said that other things that were considered in the review were economic transformation, globalisation and climate change which were not included in the first policy.

He said that as environmental problems were all over the country, in April this year, he picked out 448 environmental inspectors of which among them 282 are from 25 regions in Tanzania mainland representing local government authorities, 166 from Ministry of Water, Minerals, National Audit Office and National Environment Management Council (NEMC).

Mr Makamba said the roles of inspectors include advising the environment management committee, to which he belongs, on all matters relating to environment and promote awareness on the protection of the environment and conservation of natural resources.

He also directed NEMC and his office to prepare a mechanism that will monitor and evaluate environment inspectors’ day to day activities, they should also consider providing incentives for them to work diligently and efficiently.

Meanwhile, the Minister has directed NEMC to put in place an environment information system that will have accurate data to inform the general public about environmental problems and measures, and the system should be ready by June next year.

“NEMC in consultation with local government authorities shall, within five years of coming into operation of Environment Act of 2004, identify areas which are at risk from environmental degradation, so by June next year I also want to have a report on that,” he directed.

Earlier, Permanent Secretary, Vice-President’s Office, Engineer Joseph Mwallongo, said before new inspectors were appointed, there were only 60 environment inspectors countrywide.

“We expect that the appointed inspectors will not misuse the powers bestowed upon them and work diligently for the sake of our environment,” he noted