Fred Gunner
AH elite
https://www.namibian.com.na/59107/read/N$25m-per-person--killed-by-wildlife
A CHIEF from the Kaliyangire area in the Zambezi region, Bona Bojano, says it would be fair for government to pay N$25 million for every person killed in a human-wildlife conflict incident.
Bojano was one of the traditional leaders who attended consultation meetings by the National Council standing committee on habitat at Bukalo, Chinchimani, Sangwali and Kongola between Monday and yesterday.
The meetings came after the National Council tasked the standing committee on 24 May this year to consult communities on human-wildlife conflict; compensation or lack thereof at the loss of human life; damage to property by wild animals; and the role of the environment ministry in mitigating and managing conflicts.
Farmers, traditional authorities, conservancies and officials from the environment ministry attended the meetings.
In an oral submission, Bojano said he did not understand why the environment ministry placed more value on an animal's life than on human life.
“When an animal such as an elephant is killed, the penalty is N$25 million. But if that same animal kills a human, the compensation is a paltry N$5 000,” he said, adding that this was very troubling.
The most recent incidents were reported in August when a man (26) and his son (2) died when a hippopotamus overturned the canoe which the family was using to cross the Mutwalwizi channel of the Zambezi River.
In March, environment minister Pohamba Shifeta said human-wildlife conflict incidents had killed 60 people between 2013 and March this year.
He told those gathered at the World Wildlife Day commemoration that seven people died in human-wildlife conflict incidents in the country in the first three months of this year.
A CHIEF from the Kaliyangire area in the Zambezi region, Bona Bojano, says it would be fair for government to pay N$25 million for every person killed in a human-wildlife conflict incident.
Bojano was one of the traditional leaders who attended consultation meetings by the National Council standing committee on habitat at Bukalo, Chinchimani, Sangwali and Kongola between Monday and yesterday.
The meetings came after the National Council tasked the standing committee on 24 May this year to consult communities on human-wildlife conflict; compensation or lack thereof at the loss of human life; damage to property by wild animals; and the role of the environment ministry in mitigating and managing conflicts.
Farmers, traditional authorities, conservancies and officials from the environment ministry attended the meetings.
In an oral submission, Bojano said he did not understand why the environment ministry placed more value on an animal's life than on human life.
“When an animal such as an elephant is killed, the penalty is N$25 million. But if that same animal kills a human, the compensation is a paltry N$5 000,” he said, adding that this was very troubling.
The most recent incidents were reported in August when a man (26) and his son (2) died when a hippopotamus overturned the canoe which the family was using to cross the Mutwalwizi channel of the Zambezi River.
In March, environment minister Pohamba Shifeta said human-wildlife conflict incidents had killed 60 people between 2013 and March this year.
He told those gathered at the World Wildlife Day commemoration that seven people died in human-wildlife conflict incidents in the country in the first three months of this year.
