Govt acts on timber exports
Two weeks after The Nation exposed a shocking rush by ‘timber sharks’ to deplete round wood, government has taken off its kids’ gloves and revoked all export licences for the dealers.
Most of Malawi’s round wood has been heading to the Republic of China where lucrative cash offers are made.
The revoked timber export licences were issued after 2008 following the banning of the export of raw hard round wood timber, “in accordance with the control of the Goods Act, Cap. 18:08 of the Laws of Malawi,” stated a press release, dated February 3, but circulated yesterday.
The statement, jointly issued by the Ministrty of Industry and Trade and the Ministry of Natural Resources, Energy and Mining, reminded people that the ban had never been lifted.
Reads the statement in part: “Therefore, all export licenses that were issued with the view to export raw hard round wood timber are null and void. As such, no person is allowed to export raw hard wood timber to other countries.
“Accordingly, anyone found exporting raw hard round wood timber, in contravention of this ban, will be liable to prosecution in accordance with the provision of the relevant laws of Malawi.”
Government said a dragnet of ministries and key players will enforce what appears to be the most stringent new efforts in re-enforcing monitoring and inspection exercises to ensure that nobody violates the ban.
The release, signed by Trade and Industry principal secretary Cliff Chiunda, said over and above the ministries of Trade and Industry and Natural Resources, other enforcers would be the Ministry of Home Affairs and Internal Security, the Malawi Revenue Authority (MRA) “and other government institutions”.
The new Parliamentary Committee on Natural Resources and the Environment said a comprehensive investigation done by its 20 members had shown that local and international syndicates, corruption and bribery were at the heart of the illegal exportation of the timber, including the local tsanya variety.
The committee said some Cabinet ministers and members of Parliament (MPs), are among the alleged culprits in the illegal timber trade. It expressed its determination to name and shame the culprits during the current sitting of Parliament.
Committee vice-chairperson Alex Major, who is also Kasungu West MP, yesterday commended government for the action it has taken.
“We are very happy that the release has promised tough action. But let us face it, we had to drag the government’s machinery into action. Those involved, on the government side, need to pull up their socks, for crafting a press release is one thing and enforcing its contents is quite another,” he stated, promising “more action” from his committee members. He declined to elaborate.
Major said the committee now credits MRA for having been the first to impound the over 140 container-laden trucks which were trying to export the Malawian and Zambian timber illegally recently.
Catholic Commission for Justice and Peace (CCJP) national coordinator Chris Chisoni yesterday welcomed the development as a sign that the government had finally woken up to the need to fight the illegal timber trade with tough and coordinated efforts.
“Government also needs to go beyond just waking up. It must put in place legal and other operational procedures for punishing culprits, in order to protect what remains of our precious natural resources,” the development and political analyst added.
Most of Malawi’s forest reserves, including Dzalanyama in Lilongwe and Viphya (Chikangawa) in Mzimba, have virtually been depleted by dealers in timber and firewood over the years. n
