12 December 2007
Maputo — The governor of the southern Mozambican province of Inhambane, Francisco Itai Meque, on Tuesday warned that the province runs serious risks of deforestation.
According to a report in Wednesday's issue of the Maputo daily paper "Noticias", speaking at a meeting with forestry businessmen, and officials of the forestry and wildlife services, Itai Meque warned that both forestry inspectors and the businesses involved had to change their attitude and protect the forests.
"Foreigners come from thousands of miles away to work in our forests", he said. "If the forests here all disappear, they will just move on to other countries. But where will we go ?"
This year 112 forestry operators were granted licences in Inhambane out of the 138 requests, and authorization was granted for logging 22,745 cubic metres of wood. The state gained 11.9 million meticais (slightly less than half a million US dollars) in licence fees, and a further 2.7 million meticais from the sale of wood illegally logged, and seized by inspectors. Fines of 1.5 million meticais were imposed on businesses caught in illegal acts.
But many of these fines have not been paid. Itai Meque warned that anyone who had not paid the fines by 31 December would not have their licences renewed for 2008.
Several species of precious hardwoods are no longer exploited in Inhambane, because they are commercially extinct in the province. Itai Meque called for urgent measures of reforestation and for a rational and sustainable approach to the use of natural resources.
He demanded that forestry officials revise the way their sector operates in order to restore legality speedily. "You should get a move on, otherwise you will be moved", he told Esmaraldina Cuco, the head.of the Inhambane forestry and wild life services.
"We are prepared to take severe measures against state officials who violate the norms, and against illegal timber operators", warned Itai Meque.
Among the irregularities reported are that inspectors take bribes to turn a blind eye to the illegal and rapacious behaviour of timber businesses. Not only are these business failing tom pay fines, they are also accused of tax evasion.
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