ASSOCIATION DENOUNCES POLITICAL INTERFERENCE IN TIMBER SECTOR
THERE should be no political interference in the operations of the timber sector, Timber Producers Association of Zambia ( TPAZ) has demanded. Timber Producers Association of Zambia ( TPAZ) President, Charles Masange has called on government to put in place measures to allow the timber business to thrive devoid of political interference.
Mr Masange said, the previous regime took advantage of the timber business by politicising it, which hampered the growth of the sector.
He said, the PF administration engaged many foreign investors in the timber sector who exported wood to the exclusion of local traders.
Mr Masange said, last year alone, about 200,000 containers of mukula were illegally exported despite the ban on the trade of the rare, delicate, and slow-growing timber species.
He has since called on government to desist from politicising the timber business as this will negatively affect the sector.
“As timber producers, anybody in Zambia can bear with us, we have really suffered and our suffering has been created by governments.
MMD government interfered, PF government interfered and to our surprise even the current new dawn government is still interfering in our business. I am surprised because during campaign our current President was using this as a campaign tool, saying when I come into office I will make Zambians benefit from mukula.
“Why should we continue with political interference in the timber sector. Up to now they are claiming mukula business is still banned. But to tell you the truth, there has never been a ban on mukula trade,” he said.