The Minister of Environment, Forestry, and Tourism (MEFT) has called on traditional leaders to be mindful of the Environmental Management Act when allocating land. 

Pohamba Shifeta was speaking at the official appointment of environmental officers in Windhoek on Friday.

Shifeta says the ministry has noticed that some traditional leaders sell or allocate land in a protected area and allow people to carry out activities without a clearance certificate as listed by the Environmental Management Act. 

"Now that you are here as environmental officers, it's your duty in your regions to look at, especially the invasion of protected areas. Some are invading the parks they are going to because they give something to the traditional leaders, and they say, Go, it's our land; it's a state land, and this thing of traditional leaders saying, It's our land; it's not their land; it's a people's land."  

The appointment of the 75 environmental officers is in response to the growing number of environmental crimes and the limited staff complement at the Environmental Affairs Department. 

"As guardians of our planet, you will play a pivotal role in shaping policies, implementing initiatives, and engaging with communities to foster a culture of environmental sustainability by helping the Department of Environmental Affairs."

The appointed officers are current ministry employees who are taking on additional responsibilities by assisting the Environmental Affairs Department to effectively implement the Environmental Management Act. 

The appointed officers are from across the country and received five weeks of induction training.