PS Kumumanya Urges Environmental, Production Officers to Observe Their Roles

What the report says

Permanent Secretary in the Ministry of Local Government Ben Kumumanya has called on environmental and production officers in Uganda’s local governments to take full responsibility for conservation and agricultural production in their areas. Watchdog Uganda reported that he made the appeal while emphasizing that technical staff, not only elected leaders, are essential for turning national policy into practical action at community level.

Kumumanya said these officers help protect natural resources, improve agricultural output and support rural livelihoods, especially as communities face pressures from wetland encroachment, poor waste disposal, deforestation and climate variability. His remarks were framed within Uganda’s decentralization system, which places local governments at the front line of service delivery and environmental management.

The article also pointed to Masaka City as an example of the challenges local authorities face. Masaka City Environmental Officer Pauline Nabadda said limited funding makes enforcement difficult, even as wetlands such as Nabajjuzi and Nakayiba remain under pressure from pollution and dumping. The city is considering bamboo planting along wetland boundaries as a buffer measure.

Watchdog Uganda said the wider issue matters because environmental damage carries economic costs for water treatment, farming and ecosystem services. The report presented conservation and production as closely linked, arguing that healthier land and water systems are necessary for sustainable local development.