Deputy Minister of Health, Enock Phale, who is also Member of Parliament for Salima Northwest Constituency says the natural disasters the country is experiencing are a wakeup call to humanity to address environmental degradation.
He said this in Salima Saturday when he graced tree planting exercise organised by Salima central lawmaker Gerard Kapiseni Phiri with support from Fruit Helo through DUSU foundation.
Phale argued that people have caused destruction to nature, now nature is fighting back and if not careful humanity will continue to suffer.
“The country in the past weeks has experienced disasters where people have lost lives and others have lost property, that is nature fighting back. I therefore call upon all people of goodwill to make use of this forestry season and plant trees,” he said.
Phale added that the impact of the disasters has also been felt in the health sector as some hospitals have also been affected and that with the damage to the road network people including pregnant women and children are failing to access health facilities.
Member of Parliament for Salima Central Constituency Gerard Kapiseni Phiri said it is sad that afforestation is never regarded as a serious development project to people despite being one key element of development.
“I feel bad looking at how people are struggling and some losing property and lives to disasters just because somewhere people had slept and left the ground bare leading to preventable floods, I want to help reverse the trend,” said Kapiseni Phiri.
The tree planting exercise was supported by Fruit Hero and partner from Sweden through DUSU foundation.
“As an organisation we feel duty bound and felt compelled to assist because we know that trees are important to human beings and we have all see what has happened due to degradation of the environment, we thank Malawi government for the support to us,” said Sheikh Ishmael Allan, Country Director for DUSU Foundation.
Nice