8 February 2008
Protracted delay in submitting the draft community forestry law for enactment by the National Legislature is likely to stall the operations of logging companies and make it impossible for the exportation of logs to begin March this year.
Pres. Johnson.Sirleaf in her State of the nation address set March for the first shipment of logs from Liberia, since a United Nations Resolution lifted the ban on timber in 2007.
Delay by the Forestry Development Authority (FDA) is causing frustration among rural dwellers that see logging as the only hope for employment and the provision of basic social services including health care, education and the construction of farm to market roads.
Logging companies are eager to start bringing in millions of dollars worth of earth-moving equipment to begin logging operations before the next rainy season sets in by mid-April, but the passage of the community forestry law is considered a major hiccup.
FDA has delayed more than a year now to submit the draft law to the Legislature since the Act adopting the National Forestry Law was passed October 2006.
Lack of employment opportunities and restoration of basic social services including clinics and schools that are part of the social responsibilities of logging companies have created uneasiness and deep frustration among rural inhabitants.
FDA said the vetting process to solicit the views of the people in the Community Forestry Law is responsible to a large extent why the draft law has not been submitted to lawmakers who resumed sessions January 28.
But Green Advocates, a local environmental organization, which helped to draft the Community Forestry Law, rejected the claim and said the draft law has transcended the vetting process.
Alfred Weedo, a resident of Sinoe County and father of 12, is worried about the slow pace by the FDA authorities to accelerate the process in alleviating the problems of job and social services especially in rural Liberia.
"Lack of jobs is driving most of our people to Monrovia, and I can't get over why our government will not move fast to start logging at least before the rainy season sets in this year," Weedo said.
Liberia's unemployment rate has exceeded 85%, which international stakeholders considered a serious threat to national security and the stability of the West African region.
Resumption of logging activities could put thousands of Liberian youth, which constitutes the bulk of the country's population, back to work and give hope to rural dwellers in earning decent living, restore social services like clinics and improve farm- to-market roads urgently needed for a country emerging from 14 years of brutal civil war.
But how fast will FDA move to remove the hiccups in the way of logging companies will by and large ease the high demand for jobs and make the President's dream come true with the first shipment of logs to leave Liberia next month.
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