Govt wants pollution of L. Victoria basin stopped
 
2008-02-14 11:00:08
By Correspondent Felister Peter

The government has discouraged human activities that are causing environmental degradation in a move to reduce poverty.

The advice was given yesterday by the Acting Assistant Director in the Vice President`s Office (Environment), Freddy Manyika in the wake of environmental abuse to Lake Victoria and other Nile Basin areas that have of late become subject of much debate requiring action.

Manyika who was addressing a one-day media consultative workshop organised by the Tanzania Nile Discourse Forum (TNDF) said the National Strategy for Growth and Reduction of Poverty (NSGRP), recognises the importance of preserving the environment as an underlying principal for sustainable development.

He cautioned that poverty can easily lead to environmental degradation.

``Vicious cycle of poverty leads to environmental degradation adding that the environment so degraded leads to abject poverty,`` said Manyika.

Manyika noted that the Nile River Basin is very crucial in creating wealth and sustaining life, and that is why governments along the basin have pooled their efforts towards Nile Discourse Initiative.

He said that about 45 per cent of Lake Victoria is in Tanzania, so the country must preserve it as an important contributor to the growth of the country`s economy.

There are many economic activities like fishing and agriculture that help people living around Lake Victoria and Nile Basin fight poverty.

He reiterated the importance of the media in providing facts to the public so that they know what their governments are doing to be able to identify potentials on the basin.

Manyika said the media was dedicated towards making the Nile Basin environmentally sustainable through mobilising people to participate in decisions to achieve TNDF aims.

• SOURCE: Guardian