Staff Reporter
First Lady and the Zanu-PF Deputy Secretary for Environment and Tourism, Amai Auxilia Mnangagwa has urged people to protect and preserve wetlands as they have immense benefits which include, controlling climate, keeping the environment pollution free, preventing floods and purifying water among others.
Speaking during her welcome remarks at a Zanu-Pf Department of Environment and tourism Provincial secretaries activities in Harare yesterday, the First Lady said human activity which include construction of houses and other physical infrastructure has destroyed the wetlands.
“In Zimbabwe, it is predicted that more than 60% of wetlands are significantly vanishing as a result of human activities, due to our insatiable desire and need to develop ourselves through construction of houses and other types of physical infrastructure.
“Wetlands are among the most biological and productive ecosystems in the world, as they provide home for immense varieties of species of native plants and wildlife. As such every measure should be taken to protect our wetlands,” she said.
Beyond wetlands, the First Lady said the country has invariably been confronted with veld fires.
“As we approach 31st of July which signifies the start of our fire season, it is critical for us to take all preventive measures to protect our environment. It is common knowledge that in 2020 alone, we lost property worth over ZWL $ 5 million and 4 lives. It is critical to note that uncontrolled veld fires lead to loss of lives, vegetation, wild life and property,” she said.
Amai Mnangagwa said, as a party and Government, it is incumbent upon the people to protect the environment and promote sustainable environmental practices and management systems. The First Lady said that this is also in light of the fact that the success of a country’s tourism sector is highly dependent on the way people interact with and protect the environment.
The First Lady said 2021 is a year of harnessing people’s capabilities and orienting them towards establishing zones of excellence for healing the environment from a chain of disasters that it has faced.
The main objective of the workshop was to raise awareness on issues pertaining to the protection and preservation of the environment which has a bearing on the resuscitation of the tourism sector. The theme for the workshop was “Generating local innovation and synergies for the Environment and Tourism Sector in the post Covid19 era towards the full attainment of Vision 2030.
