Mpango calls for more action to tackle climate change
DODOMA: VICE-PRESIDENT Dr Philip Mpango has directed all sectors responsible for environmental conservation to reorganise and set up strategies to deal with the impacts of climate change and environmental degradation.
Dr Mpango issued the directive on Thursday in Dodoma during a working session with various government leaders in charge of environment sector in the country.
The VP said it is necessary to set up a system which will enable environment stakeholders and relevant sectors to meet regularly to monitor implementation of the directives given and plans set up for environmental conservation.
Dr Mpango also instructed Regional Commissioners (RCs) across the country to intensify efforts in ensuring that cleanliness in their respective areas is done comprehensively.
He said it is important to restore the system of using weekends for cleaning their areas, including highways which have been turned into dumpsites on roads.
The VP also directed respective authorities to set up a monitoring system on how garbage is being stored in public transport in efforts to control environment pollution being done by the service providers in various areas.
Similarly, Dr Mpango instructed the RCs to supervise the exercise of cleaning of ditches as a way of strengthening environmental sanitation as well as deal with the effects that may arise from the predicted El Nino rains.
In a related development, he ordered the tree-planting and environmental sanitation campaigns to be sustainable and to ensure that monitoring is done all times so that the trees that are planted can reach the intended goal.
He also ordered the exercise of giving awards and incentives to those who preserve the environment well to be conducted fully.
Dr Mpango instructed the Tanzania Forest Service Agency (TFS) to speed up the production of enough seedlings as well as being at the forefront of giving advice on the type of seedlings that should be planted according to the relevant areas.
More so, he underlined the importance of increasing awareness to wananchi about environmental conservation as well as to control the preparation of fields by burning without precautions, a situation that leads to a negative impact on humans and living things and the environment.
The meeting was attended by leaders from various Ministries, experts from various government departments, TFS, THE National Environment Management Council (NEMC), Dodoma Regional leaders as well as executives of the Wami Ruvu Basin Water Board.