Lungu orders upholding of Forests Act provisions

President Edgar Lungu

President Edgar Lungu

President Edgar Lungu has directed the Ministry of Lands and Natural Resources to ensure that all timber extraction and other forestry-related activities are conducted within the provisions of the Forests Act of 2015.

The Head of State says perpetrators of illegal forestry-related activities must be brought to book.

Speaking during the tree planting ceremony in Lusaka today, President Lungu says it is evident that the various interventions that government is putting in place to mitigate deforestation are crosscutting among ministries, departments and other state agencies.

He has observed the need to strengthen coordination and enhance synergies between all relevant government institutions and agencies to curb the rampant illegal activities.

He says he cannot ignore the important role of traditional leaders and the private sector in forest management saying the traditional leaders should assist government in mobilizing communities to actively participate in forestry activities.

President Lungu discloses that he is aware that between 2000 and 2014, Zambia lost an average, 276,021 hectares of forests per year.

He says it is for this reason that the PF government adopted the National Forestry Policy in October, 2014 and the Forests Act No. 4 of 2015 was also enacted to ensure effective implementation of this policy.

Speaking at the same event Lands and Natural Resources Minister Jean Kapata says her ministry has raised more than 500, 000 seedlings of different species across the country towards implementation of the tree planting programme for the 2016/2017 season.

Ms. Kapata says all provinces have raised adequate seedlings to be planted in designated areas.

And Lusaka Province Minister Japhen Mwakalombe says government will ensure that programmes that are aimed at protecting the future of the environment are given first priority.

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