NEMA Drills District Bosses On Environmental Survival
The April 8, 2026 session, officially opened by NEMA Executive Director Barirega Akankwasah, brought together Chief Administrative Officers, Economic Planners, Environment Officers and Natural Resource Officers from Northern Uganda, with a total of 48 participants in attendance
KAMPALA – The National Environment Management Authority (NEMA) has moved to tighten the noose on environmental mismanagement, convening a high-level training for district leaders at Hotel 360 Degrees in Makindye Ssabagabo, Wakiso District.
The April 8, 2026 session, officially opened by NEMA Executive Director Barirega Akankwasah, brought together Chief Administrative Officers, Economic Planners, Environment Officers and Natural Resource Officers from Northern Uganda, with a total of 48 participants in attendance.
The training comes at a time when districts are grappling with mounting environmental pressure, including land degradation, wetland encroachment and the intensifying effects of climate change, all of which continue to strain local development efforts.
Organised as a response to these growing challenges, the engagement also sought to bridge gaps between national environmental priorities and what is actually reflected in district planning and budgeting.
At the centre of the discussions was the need to firmly integrate Environment and Natural Resources Management (ENRM) into District Development Plans, sector work plans and annual budgets, while identifying priority actions and practical solutions to drive sustainable and climate-resilient development.
Participants were taken through technical sessions focusing on policy, legal and institutional frameworks guiding ENRM integration, as well as the use of Programme-Based Budgeting to finance environmental priorities.
Facilitators drawn from the Ministry of Water and Environment, the Ministry of Finance, Planning and Economic Development, and NEMA led the engagements, guiding district leaders on practical approaches to strengthening environmental governance.
The training also doubled as a platform for participants to table district-specific environmental challenges, agree on priority interventions and explore workable solutions tailored to their respective areas.
Particular emphasis was placed on the use of the Environmental Licensing and Management Information System (ELMIS) to support informed decision-making at the district level.
NEMA reaffirmed its commitment to supporting districts to fully embed environmental sustainability into planning and budgeting processes, positioning it as a key pathway towards inclusive and resilient growth.
A participant who spoke to RedPepper anonymously because he is not authorized to speak to the press, saidy the training turned into a reality check, with officials openly admitting the challenges choking their districts and brainstorming survival strategies.
NEMA says it’s not backing down, vowing to ensure environmental protection becomes a central pillar in district planning as Uganda battles for sustainable growth.
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