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Free-for-all tree harvesting, trading rife,...
2007-07-26 09:58:50
By Judica Tarimo, Dodoma
Legislators yesterday raised concern over rampant illegal logging which they said continued despite government interventions.
The MPs were debating the 2007/2008 budget estimates of the Natural Resources and Tourism ministry.
``Trees are recklessly cut like nobody’s business. The
government is losing billions of shillings through dubious deals.
I am quite sure that the motto of better life for all will remain a pipe dream if the trend persists,`` said shadow minister for Natural Resources and Tourism Alif Seif (Mkoani, CUF).
He said despite interventions, corruption in the issuance of logs and timber business permits continued through a chain of people.
``The racket involves foreign and local timber traders, Natural Resources and Tourism ministry’s officials from the grassroots to national levels,`` he said.
The government has already banned exportation of raw forest products, including logs and timber, and directed dealers to process them locally before exportation.
Foreign companies most of them from Japan, China and India are involved in the exportation of logs and related products.
They are evading taxes amounting to billions of shillings, opposition MPs said.
MPs also queried the government`s decision to allow foreign companies to penetrate into the villages to harvest trees, something they said was contrary to general standards.
“How can you allow foreigners to harvest trees in villages? These people (foreign companies) should be encouraged to invest in timber and log-processing factories to add value to the products only and leave harvesting activities to the locals,” said Seif.
“Some of these foreign firms collude with local banks to evade taxes,” he said, citing a case of an India-based company, which had been using a Dubai-based company to export the products through a local bank.
Mudhihir Mudhihir (Mchinga, CCM) disclosed a network of officials in the Natural Resources and Tourism ministry from village to the higher levels who colluded with timber and log traders to transport unlicensed products.
“It’s really a big headache…almost all ministry officials in the forest section down to the villages are corrupt. They don’t issue permits to traders.
One day we made an inspection at a check-point to monitor movements of log and timber trucks,`` he said, adding:
``We were surprised to note that within hours, we had managed to rescue about 4m/- from logging trucks that had no permit…shockingly, these people had passed many check-points manned by forest inspectors,” said Mudhihir.
The legislators said famous forests Bukombe, Mkinga, Pangani, Ukerewe were already deserted because of massive tree-felling.
Hasnein Dewji (Kilwa, CCM) said: ``Investors should not be allowed to penetrate into our inner sources of natural resources. Tanzanians cannot go to China, Japan or India, and be allowed to go deep into their forests` treasuries,``
Parliamentary committee on Natural Resources and Environment Spokesperson, Lucy Mahenya, questioned the competence of the Natural Resources ministry and district councils in the issuance of tree harvesting permits.
``Illegal tree harvesting is still alarming especially in prominent forests Moyowosi, Kigosi, West and Selous. The ministry must sack corrupt forestry officials involved in illegal deals,`` she said.
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