Q FM Africa's Modern Radio
Timber producers association of Zambia [TPAZ] has called on ministry of green economy and environment to extend the deadline for application for forest concession licenses, which was recently advertised.
Association president Charles Masange says the application period given is too short and timber producers cannot meet all the requirements that have been listed in the advert within 30 days, unless 90 days.
Mr. Masange notes that applying for forest concession licenses requires a lot of money to use for administration, and meeting statutory fees and industry players have not been operating since 2018 and timber exports were recently banned.
He says traditional timber producers have nowhere to get the money to meet the requirements in 30 days because they need to conduct the environmental impact assessment, as well as pay Zambia environmental management agency (ZEMA), hence the need to extend the application period.
According to an advert placed on 14th April, 2022, ministry of green economy and environment is inviting applications from interested organizations and individuals to apply for medium or small-scale concession licences in the identified potential concession areas across the country pursuant to the provisions of the forests act no. 4 of 2015 and statutory instrument no. 50 of 2016, and the forest concession license regulations of 2016.
Meanwhile, Mr. Masange has called on the ministry to expedite timber audits currently taking place because there is a risk of a lot of timber which is lying in the bush going to waste.
