Synod decries porous roadblocks

Livingstonia Synod of the Church of Central Africa Presbyterian general secretary the Reverend William Tembo has bemoaned alleged laxity in roadblocks that allows charcoal to pass through.

He expressed the sentiments on Wednesday in Nkhata Bay where the synod launched its tree-planting season.

Said Tembo: “It is sad that charcoal and other products from trees pass through the roadblocks.

“Therefore, the forestry rangers should go back to the forests to fight deforestation.”

In a separate interview, an expert in forestry management Clement Chilima, said there is shortage of forestry rangers.

“Working in forests is a dangerous mission and we need more rangers,” he said.

Chilima said with government’s plans to train and employ 300 rangers, the country should expect more rangers to be deployed to forests.

“While others will be deployed in the forests, some should be deployed at roadblocks. The reason we have more in roadblocks than in forests is shortage of rangers to be in the forests,” he said.

There is shortage of rangers in districts with vast forests such as Nkhata Bay and Mzimba.

According to Nkhata Bay forestry officer William Kalua, the district has about 39 forestry rangers.

The synod plans to plant 50 000 trees in the Northern Region this season.