ZAFFICO acts to secure forests

SECURING assets like forests from acts of sabotage, theft, trespass and malicious damage requires well drilled, disciplined and prepared security with military discipline and skills,’’ Zambia Forestry and Forest Industries Corporation Limited (ZAFFICO) has said.

ZAFFICO acting Managing Director Brian Mutale said the corporation was currently managing more than 51,000 hectares of exotic tree plantations in more than six provinces and so it was imperative that its security officers were equipped with security skills to secure the plantations.

Mr Mutale was speaking yesterday at the pass out parade of 20 ZAFFICO officers, which was held at Kamfinsa School of Public Order Maintenance in Kitwe where the corporation security officers were trained by the Zambia police in a bid to help enhance security of the corporation’s assets from acts of sabotage.

The corporation is currently managing more than 51,000 hectares of exotic tree plantations in the Copperbelt , Luapula, Muchinga, Northern and North –Western provinces therefore it is in order to enhance security of such magnitude of assets.

He said the corporation was currently managing more than 51,000 hectares of exotic tree plantations in the Copperbelt , Luapula, Muchinga, Northern and North –Western provinces therefore it was in order to enhance security of such magnitude of assets.

“We believe that, as a corporation with such a huge task to look after more than 51,000 hectares of exotic tree plantations in the Copperbelt, Luapula, Muchinga, Northern and North –Western provinces, it was imperative that our security officers were provided with military skills aimed at preventing theft , trespass ,sabotage and malicious damage to its property.

Mr Mutale said, as part of value addition, the corporation was also operating a pole treatment plant in Kalulushi ,which has a combined capacity to produce approximately 140,000 treated poles per year.

He added that, with the corporation also producing high quality treated poles of different sizes which could be used for fencing, construction, residential and commercial purposes it needed officers with skilled knowledge to protect its asset.

And training officer John Mapulanga said the 20 trainee officers, four female and 16 males, were trained in criminal law, criminal investigation, communication skills as well as weapon training.