Minister Tembo worried with level of pollution and deforestation at Dedza Mountain

Minister of Forestry and Natural Resources, Nancy Tembo has expressed shock over the level of pollution resulting from uncoordinated waste disposal and deforestation at Dedza Mountain.

Speaking during Dedza Mountain Clean-Up event on Friday, she said, cleaning up the mountain was a responsibility of everyone in order to bring back the lost glory of the mountain.

“If we are to ignore the state of this mountain as it is now, what can we possibly expect our children to find in terms of resources?,” she asked.

As Malawians, she said, there is need to start changing our thinking of today only but also for our future and the future generation.

She added that people need to change their minds more and realize that there is so much economic opportunities that a mountain such as Dedza can bring.

The Minister cited examples of Rwanda, Tanzania, South Africa and Kenya among others who have been able to be innovative and started businesses from the waste.

Malawi can as well do it through production of briquettes, investing into cement blocks and its technologies, turning sawdust into fuel, recycle plastics and manufacture school bags and shoes, she observed.

Chifuno Changa Green Initiative Founder, Chifuno Stevens said she will continue engaging communities to make the mountain and the district clean and environmental friendly.

” With the support of the local community and Dedza Council, we want to bring back the lost glory of the mountain through conservation and preservation of our natural environment and forest,” she said.

Through this initiative, she said, the clean-up exercises for the mountain and other areas in the district will be a on going.

The Initiative started in September this year after realizing high levels of pollution because of waste disposal as well as deforestation .