Minister Mposha Vows to End Illegal Forestry Activities with Stricter Laws
Minister of Green Economy and Environment, Mike Mposha, has pledged to eradicate illegal activities in the forestry subsector by implementing more stringent laws to ensure offences are non-bailable.
During a familiarisation tour of the Forestry Department Headquarters in Lusaka, Hon. Mposha expressed grave concern over the rampant illegalities, including cross-border incursions by nationals from neighbouring countries to unlawfully cut trees and produce charcoal.
The Minister made it clear that forestry officers found engaging in illegal activities would face both dismissal and imprisonment. “I want this chaos to end. I want stiffer laws that will even deal with our officers. We give you the job to protect the forests, but you go out there committing illegalities, you will come and face the law. We will not just fire you but we will also take you to prison,” he stated.
Hon. Mposha cited the success of stringent stock theft laws, which have significantly reduced such offences due to their non-bailable status and severe penalties. “When people learn that there is a law that is very punitive, the law itself will deter them from committing illegalities,” he added.
The Minister also proposed that vehicles used to transport illegally harvested timber and charcoal should be confiscated by the State without compromise, as simple fines are not an adequate deterrent.
He reaffirmed the continuation of the Mukula tree ban, noting that any consideration to lift it would only be made after thorough checks to protect this rare species.
“I know the stakeholders have been requesting that we lift the ban but we will only consider those requests when we have done the thorough check because we need to protect this very rare species of the tree,” Hon. Mposha said.
Additionally, the Minister announced that the Climate Change Bill would be presented to Cabinet for approval and subsequently submitted to Parliament for enactment within the year.
In closing, Hon. Mposha commended the staff for their unwavering commitment to duty and their contributions to the country’s development.
