TIMBER TRADERS SEEK JUDICIAL REVIEW OVER EXPORT BAN

Wed, 30 Aug 2017 10:26:59 +0000

By Chikumbi Katebe

TIMBER traders have lost huge investments in failed international commitments to Congo, Vietnam and China, owing to the government’s decision to ban timber exports.

And the Zambia National Association of Saw-millers secretary-general, Mr William Bwalya has applied for judicial review of the government’s decision to ban timber exports when his members had valid concession licences issued by the Department of Forestry.

This was contained in ex-parte summons for leave to apply for judicial review the decision by Government to unilaterally suspend timber exports, a decision that has impacted traders who have invested heavily into the business.

“That the members have invested heavily in order to meet and execute international orders to supply Congo, China and Vietnam customers.

“That due to the ban of export, our members have lost business and therefore have breached contracts to supply timber to the international customers,” he said. He said although some members have been awarded licences, it was a very small number, and even then, security personnel have continued to impound such timber which has affected trade. He explained that this was despite their having obtained concession licences from Ministry of Lands and Natural Resources, Forestry department.

“The provincial forest officers approved the same apparitions and ultimately the forestry headquarters verified and approved the same,” he said.

He explained that this was after the Forestry department allowed tree harvesting per month and per year respectively.

He said the Forestry department was aware of the available tree population for sustainable harvesting and wondered what justification they Ministry of Lands could have used for coming up with the ban. He explained that export licences were issued by the forestry department who scrutinized all concession holders or merchants to determine the validity of all the requirements for issuance of such licences.

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