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Charcoal, timber trade booming despite ban
2006-02-18 09:15:12
By Patrick Kisembo
Charcoal dealers are still doing brisk business despite a recent government ban on harvesting of forest products.
A surprise visit by The Guardian in Kibaha District, Coast Region, yesterday established that businessmen still ferry charcoal and other forest products to Dar es Salaam in broad daylight using fake licences.
This reporter also came across forest and natural resources officials in Kibaha District who had impounded large quantities of charcoal and timber destined for Dar es Salaam. However, the officials could not immediately say how they were going to dispose of the matter.
The Guardian witnessed three truckloads of charcoal and timber being flagged down for inspection and subsequent seizure.
Speaking off the record, a forest official said it had become common for businessmen to transport forest products in total disregard of the recent government ban.
Last December, the government slapped an indefinite ban on harvesting of forest products saying the wanton felling of trees for timber and charcoal was a major threat to the environment.
The officer said the owners of impounded products are required to obtain licences before being allowed to ferry the goods to their destination.
In spite of the officer’s explanation, we witnessed charcoal being sold in the open in Kibaha town.
Charcoal dealer Enos Makaja, said the traders buy charcoal in Pangani in Kibaha, which are closer to government forests.
’We harvest the tree species known locally as mgovu. This is a hardwood species that is ideal for charcoal. You can even see how different its charcoal is from the mango tree’s,’ he said.
The dealer said they play hide and seek with government officials as they have no other source of income.
’We sell the charcoal here, but if we are caught we bribe the officers to avoid being taken to court,’ he said.
He went on: ’We know the government has banned harvesting of trees, but this is what is giving us our daily bread,’ he said.
The charcoal dealers at Kibaha transport charcoal to the market on bicycle.
A sack of charcoal goes for 9,000/- at the source, but higher when it is bought from a middleman.
In an interview, Minister for Natural Resources and Tourism Anthony Diallo said recently that only a few businessmen would be given permits to deal in charcoal and timber products, to save the country from imminent desertification.
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