In Gulu, Uganda, more than 6,000 sacks of confiscated charcoal have been left exposed to the elements for three months, despite a court order to auction them. The Gulu Chief Magistrates Court issued the order on July 12, calling for the disposal of 1,877 bags of charcoal impounded by National Forestry Authority (NFA) and Environmental Police Protection Unit (EPPU) officials.
The charcoal was seized in June from eight businessmen at various checkpoints in the Acholi Sub-region as they attempted to transport it out. However, the bags of charcoal, now totaling 6,673, have been stored at the NFA Gulu city offices in Pece-Laroo Division and have yet to be auctioned.
A recent visit to the site revealed that most of the bags had deteriorated due to prolonged exposure to sun and rain, causing the charcoal to be exposed. John Giribo, the NFA Range Manager of Aswa River Range, explained that the delay in auctioning the impounded charcoal was due to the lengthy procurement processes for an auctioneer.
Despite this delay, NFA has now acquired an auctioneer firm, M/s Intrepid Recovery Associates Ltd, and plans to conduct the auction before the end of the month. The auctioneer inspected the site and is expected to provide a comprehensive work plan for the auction.
Giribo also noted that NFA faces challenges due to limited facilitation, affecting its ability to monitor all areas where illegal charcoal production is taking place. Since the implementation of Executive Order No. 3 in May, more than 50 suspects have been arrested and charged in connection to the illegal charcoal trade in the districts of Amuru and Gulu.
State Minister for Northern Uganda Rehabilitation, Grace Freedom Kwiyucwyiny, expressed frustration with the delays in auctioning impounded illegal forest products, stating her intent to raise the matter with the Ministry of Water and Environment to allow immediate auctioning after court rulings.
The ban on the commercial production and trade of charcoal remains in effect, but some businessmen have adapted by using box body trucks instead of open trucks to transport charcoal.
George Ebola, an environmental activist and member of “Our Trees We Need Answer,” suspects foul play in the delayed auctioning of impounded charcoal, suggesting that it might be a deliberate attempt to obstruct the implementation of Executive Order No. 3.
The Acholi Sub-region has seen a significant decline in forest cover in recent years due to increased demand for charcoal and timber. According to the Global Forest Watch report, Gulu district alone lost 38.7 thousand hectares of tree cover, equivalent to a 6.2 percent decrease from 2001 to 2021, primarily due to forest destruction for charcoal production and timber.
