Zambia loses money on timber following ban on exportsTags: africa impact economic moratorium economy government industry
Lusaka, Zambia - Zambia lost an estimated K80 billion in uncollected timber revenues following government's decision to ban timber exports to member countries of the Southern African Development Community (SADC).
According to details released here by the Timber Producers Association of Zambia (TPAZ) the ban on timber exports has resulted in rampant smuggling of sawn timber, logs and other wooden products.
Association secretary, Charles Masange, complains that though the organisation has repeatedly updated government on what was happening in the sector it was amazing to noted that very little action has been taken against reported offending culprits.
The result is the loss of more than K80 billion that was due to government last year and much more money is expected to be lost again this year, he added.
"Timber is a resource which poor Zambians can exploit and earn an income. But the opportunity is being denied them by illegal activities," Masange observed.
He added that though the Zambians were being denied the chance to export timber, foreigners with substantial resources with which to corrupt government officials were able to bring in trucks and export timber to countries sharing borders with Zambia.
The association has already prepared a report which has been submitted to the ministry of tourism, environment and natural resources for action but so far there has been no response of any kind from the ministry.
Masange expressed fears that if the situation was allowed to continue unchecked Zambia stood to lose substantially since timber was a diminishing resource that needed to be carefully managed if it was to benefit the rest of society and not a few corrupt government officials.
Two years ago, Zambia imposed a ban on the exports of timber to member countries of SADC so as to come up with policies and measures that will instill primary preparation of timber in place of raw exports of timber.
Companies involved in the cutting of timber are now expected to saw it and manuf acture items that can then be exported to foreign lands.
The measures are, however, being circumvented by big Chinese and South African companies that have clandestinely continued to export raw timber to markets outside Zambia for hard currency earnings.
© Afrique en ligne (France) -- 2008-06-16
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